Nagpur: A brilliant 198 runs partnership between Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni helped India score 297/8 at stumps on day three of the fourth Test being played at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur.

India were in a commanding position but lost the momentum in the final hour as the home team lost four wickets for only 28 runs. Kohli made a brilliant 103 and Dhoni was mighty unlucky to get run-out on 99. India are still trailing by 33 runs as the match moves toward a very exciting finish.

Earlier in the day, India had a very good morning session as they scored 59 runs from 32 overs that were bowled without losing a wicket in the morning session of the third day.  India resumed their innings at 87/4 with Dhoni and Kohli unbeaten on the crease from overnight. Both players played defensively and negotiated a good spell by Anderson early in the day.

Kohli played some good shots to get his innings going while Dhoni showed some good defensive technique at the other end. The pitch in the morning session looked difficult to score runs as the ball came very slowly from the pitch.

It was difficult for both Swann and Panesar as they got slow turn which was negotiated easily by the batsmen.

India started the afternoon session at 146/4 with Kohli on 46 and Dhoni on 31. Kohli soon went past the fifty run-mark as England took the new ball in the 81st over. Dhoni raised the tempo as soon as the new ball was taken and played some fabulous strokes to reach fifty.

Both batsmen played superbly and raised the rate of scoring to take the Indian score past two hundred. Soon the two had a partnership of 150 runs.

India finished the afternoon session trailing by 103 runs with Dhoni unbeaten on 75 and Kohli on 77.  

The last session saw both batsmen continuing their good work as they neared their hundreds. Kohli hit some fine boundaries to enter the nineties and a forcing cut shot of Swann took him to the three figures mark. India were 269/4 at drinks in the final session and were in a dominating position. 

But everything changed in the final hour, the first twist was when Swann hit Kohli in front of the wickets to get England their first wicket of the day. Ravindra Jadeja bowled well but failed with the bat. As he could only score 12 runs before getting a ripper from Anderson.

What followed next was shocking for India as Dhoni who was on 99 and was struggling for strike ran for a single hitting the ball straight to mid-off. Alastair Cook was very alert and got a direct-hit and Dhoni missed a brilliant hundred just by few centimeters.

Things got better for the visitors as Swann got Piyush Chawla in the last over of the match. R Ashwin (7*) will start the proceedings for the hosts on the fourth day.

Brief Score:

England: 330

India: 297/8 (Kohli 103, Dhoni 99, Anderson 4-68)      

By Indian Sports News Network