India are just seven wickets away from victory in the second Test in Chennai and levelling the four-match series with England.
The hosts took three England wickets in the final session of play after ending their second innings on 286 all out.
A remarkable century from Ravichandran Ashwin sent India on their way to setting England an unassailable target for victory.
India began the day 54-1, with Chesteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma having already built a lead of 249.
The day got off brilliantly for England as two wickets fell in quick succession.
Pujara failed to improve on his overnight tally after he was bizarrely run out on seven runs. In dropping his bat while running to make his ground, a throw from Ollie Pope saw him out after the decision was sent upstairs.
Soon after, Rohit was on his way too after a superb bit of work behind the stumps from Ben Foakes saw the opener just outside of his crease and stumped for 26.
A change to the usual batting order saw Rishabh Pant come to the crease in a bid to accelerate the hosts’ innings into an even further lead.
He only made eight however, as Foakes pulled off some more magic after Pant tried to launch Jack Leach down the ground.
Ajinkya Rahane added just 10 before going for a lunge on Moeen Ali and edging to Pope at short leg.
Axar Patel arrived next at the crease and lasted 24 balls, adding seven to India’s total before being caught lbw by Moeen.
The decision was reviewed by the debutant, but to no avail.
Alongside captain Virat Kohli. who remained at the crease, they managed to take the hosts’ lead beyond 300 and their second innings to106-6.
Next came a moment that would prove to be very costly later on in the game.
The new man in the middle Ashwin edged a delivery down the throat of Ben Stokes – but the latter couldn’t hold on.
Ashwin and Kohli would then begin to frustrate England even more as they got to the lunch break with a 50 partnership and the lead now at 351.
The pair continued their efforts after the break, with them both reaching half-centuries to take the lead to just under 400.
Moeen managed to get Kohli for the second time in the match soon after, trapping the Indian captain in front of his stumps for lbw and ending a 96-run partnership.
Kuldeep Yadav added three runs to India’s total before he too was out for lbw by Moeen, picking up his fourth wicket.
Ishant Sharma and Ashwin took India to tea at 221-8 with a 416 lead.
Ishant then tried to sweep Jack Leach after the tea break, but only found Stone who pulled off an impressive catch.
England’s work was far from over however, as Ashwin was making Stokes pay for his drop as he approached his century.
Ashwin eventually reached a magnificent 100 from 134 balls to worsen England’s woes.
Mohammad Siraj, as well as Ashwin, then attacked England’s spinners with consistent boundaries.
The hosts’ innings came to an end as the man-of-the-moment Ashwin chopped Stone’s delivery on to his stumps.
India were bowled out for 286 and England required a mammoth total of 482 to secure an unlikely victory.
England’s openers came out knowing they had to bat out two days in order to avoid defeat.
After openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley got off to a solid start, the latter soon fell to Axar as he was struck on the pad bang in line with his stumps.
The Warwickshire man knew he was a goner as he didn’t bother reviewing the decision and walked straight off.
Burns added some boundaries to England’s tally before he clipped one straight to captain Kohli, giving Ashwin his first wicket and adding to his delight.
The tourists were 49-2 and opted to send in a night watchman in Leach to hopefully slow down the scoring.
This plan went out the window within a ball as Leach picked out Rohit at leg slip for a golden duck.
Things could’ve been even worse late on in the day as an incredibly close lbw appeal on captain Joe Root was reviewed by India.
DRS showed up umpires call on the ball hitting the wickets, meaning Root survived by the barest of all margins.
Thankfully for England, they managed to see out the rest of the day without losing any further wickets but know they face an almighty task ahead of them to save the match.
At stumps, the tourists finished on 53-3 with their target 429 looking a million miles away.
India require just seven wickets to level the series at 1-1 going into next Wednesday’s day/night Test in Ahmedabad.
For England, they will look to stick around for as long as possible and try their best to keep the score line respectable.
Coverage for what seems will be the final day continues on Channel 4 from 4am.
By Josh Mann
