Cricket: Pujara, Kohli drive India after openers depart

-England all out for 283 in first innings

-Pujara-Kohli stand already worth 75

Cheteshwar Pujara maintained his consistency with the bat, hitting a patient unbeaten 51 as he and skipper Virat Kohli guided India to 148 for two at tea on the second day of the third test against England on Sunday.

Pujara, who struck a century in each of the previous two tests against the tourists, has added 75 runs for the blooming third wicket partnership with Kohli at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium.

The India captain was batting on 40 at the break, showing tremendous restraint as England attacked him with a heavily-packed off-side but without success.

Paceman Mohammed Shami claimed the last two English wickets earlier in the morning as the tourists added 15 runs to their overnight score before being dismissed for 283.

Murali Vijay walked out with Parthiv Patel, his third opening partner of the series, to lead India's reply and it turned out to be an eventful yet brief stay for the right-hander.

Vijay survived an obstructing-the-field appeal and was reprieved when Jos Buttler could not take a catch after the opener had flicked at a Moeen Ali delivery.

Vijay could not make the most of the opportunities and his exit was no less dramatic, the opener walking off after nicking behind a harmless Ben Stokes delivery, an edge umpire Chris Gaffaney did not spot. Vijay had made 12.

Patel, by contrast, looked determined to make the most of his chance return to the Indian side after eight years in the wilderness.

The diminutive 31-year-old, replacing injured regular wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, smacked six boundaries in his 42 before Adil Rashid dismissed him leg-before.

Patel had walked a long way down the pitch and was initially ruled not-out but England opted to review the decision, which turned out to be an excellent move.

Pujara and Kohli then joined forces to frustrate the tourists with their steady accumulation of runs.

The only blot in Pujara's otherwise composed knock was when, on 35, he tickled a Stokes delivery down the legside and Jonny Bairstow could not hold onto the catch.