KL Rahul will be bitterly disappointed having been dismissed for 199, just one run short of a well-deserved double hundred, but his knock made sure that India did not give the initiative to England in the fifth Test at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.

Rahul, along with Karun Nair, rescued India from a precarious situation as the hosts found themselves on 211/3 at one point, with captain Virat Kohli dismissed for his lowest score of the series.

The Karnataka pair steadied the ship, adding 161 runs for the fourth wicket before Rahul’s dismissal at the fag end of day three. Nair registered his maiden half-century, staying unbeaten on 71 at the end of the day’s play.

Earlier in the day, Rahul and makeshift opener Parthiv Patel brought up India’s first century opening partnership in 31 Test innings. Patel would go on to make his highest Test score before being dismissed by Moeen Ali for 71.

One expected Cheteshwar Pujara and Kohli to cash in on what is a flat track, but both fell cheaply as India looked to be in a spot of bother. At that stage, the hosts were still 266 runs behind England’s first innings total.

Rahul’s magnificent innings, his top score in Tests, included 16 fours and three sixes as he scored all around the wicket, before becoming the second Indian batsman after Mohammad Azharuddin to be dismissed on 199.

Murali Vijay, who came out to bat at number six due to a shoulder injury, and Nair were the unbeaten batsmen as India ended the day on 391/4.

BRIEF SCORES

England 477 all out [Ali 146, Root 88, Jadeja 3/106] lead India 391/4 [Rahul 199, Nair 71*, Patel 71, Stokes 1/37] by 86 runs.