India in England: Moeen Ali Lets his Cricket Do the Talking
Moeen Ali, a practising Muslim, was warned by the International Cricket Council not to repeat his "political" protest that saw him wearing wristbands bearing the words 'Save Gaza' and 'Free Palestine' while batting.
© AP
Moeen Ali turned the spotlight onto his bowling rather than his personal opinions by taking a wicket to strengthen England's position in the third Test against India at Southampton. (Day 3 Report | Day 3 Highlights)
Ali, primarily a batsman, saw his occasional off-spin snare Rohit Sharma shortly before tea on Tuesday's third day. (Anderson-Broad join 'exclusive Test club')
Before play started, Birmingham-born Ali, a practising Muslim, was warned by the International Cricket Council not to repeat his "political" protest that saw him wearing wristbands bearing the words 'Save Gaza' and 'Free Palestine' while batting. (ECB rally behind Moeen Ali)
India were 214 for five at tea in reply to England's imposing 569 for seven declared, a deficit of 355 runs, and needing a further 156 to avoid the follow-on.
Ajinkya Rahane was 52 not out following his excellent hundred in India's 95-run win in the second Test at Lord's that put the tourists 1-0 up in the five-match series.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was two not out.
England had seen Ian Bell (167) end a run of 20 innings without a Test hundred and Gary Ballance (156) make his Test-best score on Monday.
Meanwhile, England debutant wicketkeeper Jos Buttler, who might have out for a duck and gave two other chances, rode his luck to complete a typically quickfire 85.
Things got even better for under-pressure England captain Alastair Cook, who had earlier ended a run of low scores with a morale-boosting 95, when he caught Shikhar Dhawan at first slip off James Anderson before Monday's close.
Following a minute's silence Tuesday to commemorate cricketers who were killed during the First World War, a hundred years on from the start of that conflict, India resumed on 25 for one.
Murali Vijay, averaging 90 in the series, was 11 not out and Chesteshwar Pujara four not out.
England, without a victory in their previous 10 Tests, knew they had to 'win' Tuesday's play if they were to have a realistic chance of drawing level in this match.
- Broad's double strike -
Stuart Broad, one of several England bowlers appreciably quicker than those playing for India in the absence of the injured Ishant Sharma, the seven-wicket hero of the tourists' Lord's win, enjoyed an early double strike.
Pujara, trying to sway out of the way of a well-directed short ball, didn't withdraw his bat and gloves in time and gave Buttler a simple catch for his first Test dismissal.
Broad struck again when Vijay, trying to withdraw his bat, deflected the ball onto his stumps and was bowled.
He had now taken two wickets for 10 runs in 22 balls and India, on a sunny day ideal for batting, were 88 for three.
England thought they had Rahane, who caught down the legside by Buttler off Ali for eight but Australia umpire Rod Tucker found in the batsman's favour.
Hot Spot showed a thin touch on the glove but with no Decision Review System this series because of India objections, Tucker's verdict stood.
After lunch Virat Kohli, on 34, saw a a leaping Cook at first slip drop a catch above his head following a loose cut off Jordan that went for four.
However, Kohli was out for 39 -- his best score of what has been a tough series so far for the talented batsman - when he pushed ou uncertainly Anderson and Cook held a far easier slip catch than the one he had dropped.
Rahane though completed an elegant 92-ball fifty including 11 fours.
Rohit Sharma, brought back after India dropped all-rounder Stuart Binny, had offered solid support in a fifth-wicket stand of 74.
But on 28 he sliced a drive off Ali, with Broad holding a fumbling catch at mid-off.