India v/s England: It's raining runs in Rajkot

The third day defined the course of the game. India are on their way to give a fitting reply to England's 537. Credit goes to centurions, opener Murali Vijay (126) and No. 3 Cheteshwar Pujara (124), and their sixth three-figure partnership in Tests.

The nature of the pitch did not change much despite it being the third day. The cracks, though, were opening up. There was little offer for the spin trio of Moeen Ali, Zafar Ansari and Adil Rashid, who shared the burden with the medium-pace trio of Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes.

Like the manner in which Joe Root, Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes made the most of the batting conditions in the first two days, Vijay and Pujara went about their manner of building a stand – 209 for the second wicket after Gautam Gambhir fell to the seventh delivery of the day.

Having been on the field for five full sessions, Vijay and Pujara returned the favour to England, though India have some unfinished business.

The hosts, at 319/4, still trail by 218. It was also a tribute to Vijay's fitness that he has been on the field for three full days or nine sessions. The wickets in quick succession at the fag end of the day may have lifted the confidence of the English side.

With Virat Kohli on 26 and his deputy Ajinkya Rahane to come in, the onus is on them to bat out England and not concede the advantage.

The start to the day was not that great for India, though, as left-handed Gautam Gambhir played across to 100th Test man Stuart Broad's first delivery. All of Gambhir's good work the previous evening went down the drain.

However, his opening partner Vijay and Pujara played according to the merit of the ball, not letting go the loose deliveries unpunished. The Tamil Nadu opener even danced down the track to left-arm spinner Zafar Ansari's second delivery of the day and depositing him for six over long-on.

While Vijay was calm, Pujara began on an aggressive note. Fours rained from his blade initially, driving Broad on the on-side while he nicely went back to square cut Moeen Ali for fours.

The 28-year-old local boy struggled against the short ball by Chris Woakes but was not unsettled by him after being thrice hit on the helmet. He may not have shown the requisite technique to sway away from the short balls, looking clumsy while getting struck. He has been in such awkward moments in previous Tests, too.

But that did not affect Pujara's other aspects of batting. When it came to driving and picking the gaps, he did not falter. Anything around his hips were glanced to fine leg for boundaries while anything on the off-stump region was driven and steered comfortably.

Vijay and Pujara did not show any urgency. The scoring rate slowed down in the second and third sessions.

It was a brilliant understanding of one batsman dominating the attack while the other was happy to grind the opposition. Pujara survived a LBW verdict against Ansari after New Zealander Chris Gaffaney adjudged him out. Pujara successfully reviewed the decision as replays showed the ball going above the bails. Then on 86, Pujara reached his ninth Test century and second in successive matches following the second innings 101* in Indore last month.

For Vijay, who reached his seventh three-figure score, it was a much-needed hundred as questions were asked about his inability to convert starts and his last century – 150 – coming in Fatullah in June 2015. He went 16 innings without a century and only four fifties in them.

Pujara's brilliance ended when he steered Ben Stokes into Cook's hands at wide slip, the position. Along with Vijay, who was out in the extended final session to short-leg catch, he has surely taken India to safety.