Rohit leads fightback after Wood rattles India in Rajkot

RAJKOT, India :Captain Rohit Sharma led India's recovery with a fighting fifty after England fast bowler Mark Wood engineered a top order collapse that left the hosts 93 for three at lunch on day one of the third test on Thursday.

Rohit suffered a blow to his helmet, was dropped in the slip and got an lbw decision against him reversed in his eventful knock of 52 not out.

Ravindra Jadeja, back in the side after missing the second test in Visakhapatnam due to a hamstring issue, was on 24 at the other end.

Rohit decided to bat first on a flat pitch but Wood, replacing spinner Shoaib Bashir, proved the value of extra pace even on such a docile track.

The fast bowler had Yashasvi Jaiswal caught by Joe Root in the slip in his second over. Jaiswal, who smashed a double hundred in the previous test in Visakhapatnam, scored 10.

In his next over, Wood dismissed Shubman Gill caught behind for a duck.

England captain Ben Stokes, playing his 100th test, introduced spin in the ninth over and was rewarded immediately.

Rajat Patidar made five before left-arm spinner Tom Hartley surprised him with extra bounce and the batter chipped the ball to Ben Duckett at cover.

Wood continued to bowl with relentless hostility, hitting Rohit on his helmet grille.

Rohit got a life on 27 when he edged Hartley and Root at slip dived to his left but could not grab it.

The opener was adjudged lbw to James Anderson but the decision was reversed after the batter challenged it and replays confirmed the ball had hit bat first.

Wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel and batter Sarfaraz Khan made test debuts for India.