The difference in this series has been the spinners. And India illustrated again on the last session of the third day, that with Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, they have two gems.

For almost two sessions through the day, England’s spinners fought hard but India’s lower-order remained largely untroubled. First, Ashwin, then Ravindra Jadeja and Jayant Yadav played England’s trio of Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid and Gareth Batty with respective ease as they pushed the lead to 134.

Yet on the same surface, Ashwin made the pitch look deceptive. Only, it was his impeccable skills that made it so. Alastair Cook, apart from that century in the second innings in the first Test at Rajkot, has never looked comfortable at the crease. And Ashwin tormented him again. Despite Cook being at his watchful best, he flirted with danger after getting two reprieves through the Decision Review System. The off-spinner had the last laugh though, a delightful delivery with drift going through his sturdy defence and dismantling the stumps.

Moeen Ali was the next batsman to step into Ashwin’s trap. He stepped out expecting a juicy half-volley which he could hit back over the bowler’s head. Quick in a flash, Ashwin drifted it down and beat Ali completely in flight. Flailing away, he only managed to chip it for a simple catch.

Jayant Yadav then continued England’s misery as he got Jonny Bairstow to nick one behind where Parthiv Patel took a simple catch. Ashwin, brought back into the attack in the fading light, had the final laugh over Ben Stokes rapping him right in front and using a review to good effect to leave England in disarray at 78/4.

The only solace for England was that Joe Root, who opened in place of Haseeb Hameed, is still out their unbeaten but it is scant consolation as they went further behind to an Indian team that only seems to be getting better.

Brief scores:

England 283 and 78/4 (Joe Root 36 not out, Jonny Bairstow 15; Ravichandran Ashwin 3/19, Jayant Yadav 1/12) trail India 417 by 56 runs