Live Commentary: India vs. England - First Test, day three - as it happened

Good morning, everyone. England fans might have had some nightmares following yesterday's final session. The dismissals of Nick Compton, James Anderson and Jonathan Trott means that the tourists face a battle just to avoid the follow-on.

Ravichandran Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha were turning the ball around corners late on yesterday and this could be a long, difficult day for Cook and his team. England must have a plan against the two spinners if they are to avoid a defeat in this match.

There's no surprise that Pietersen is playing such a big role on his return to the side but it will be the innings of Cook which will be most important. If the skipper can bat long, the tourists will stand a chance of posting a big total.

Play is due to begin at 4.00am, expect spin early on at both ends. If the ball is reverse swinging, though, Zaheer Khan will be dangerous.

There's been a lot of talk about whether Monty Panesar should have been picked for England, Samit Patel has been speaking to BBC's Test Match Special: It was a toiling day, but I thought we stuck at it nicely. It wasn't the best ball [I'd ever bowled] to get Yuvi, but it's a wicket and I'd take that. I don't think the result of the game will depend on whether Monty [Panesar] played or not, we've just got to get on with it. We've got two world-class batsmen at the crease so hopefully I won't be in until after tea or late in the evening."

Dhoni has his players in a huddle on the outfield. With plenty of runs to play with, they'll be confident today. Cook and Pietersen have appeared and it is crucial that England are positive.

Ojha will bowl the first over of the day.

Ojha starts with a beauty that beats Pietersen's defence but somehow, it evades Dhoni too and England have a bye to begin the day. Plenty of company close to the bat for Cook but he does find a way to get off strike with a single to square leg. Pietersen dances down the pitch but he only finds an edge and is almost run out by the man at silly point. Two from the over.

Pietersen's problems with left-arm spin are well documented but he must play Ojha well today. Ashwin will take the ball from the other end, predictably.

Decent start from Ashwin and he gets the ball to bounce and spin to beat Cook's outside edge. The skipper does well to recover and blocks out a maiden over.

Dhoni misses a stumping chance! Pietersen attempts to use his feet but he misses the ball completely and Dhoni fails to take the ball behind the stumps. Lifeline for Pietersen. More groans around the bat when Tony Hill rejects an lbw appeal but that won't be given. Six runs are taken from the over but India will be encouraged by these early signs this morning.

Ashwin is trying to get Cook to fall across his stumps but the captain has a much better technique these days. He does nearly chip the ball up with a leading edge but survives the over, maiden.

Pietersen is so eager to use his feet but with the amount of spin on show this morning, he is at risk of being stumped. When he does get his footwork right, he earns four runs with a whip through mid-wicket. However, there's a sigh of relief from the returning batsman when a leading edge lands safely in front of point.

Both batsmen have been playing with angled bats this morning and Cook once again gets away with a leading edge to mid-on. Big sweep from the skipper follows but he makes no contact with the ball.

Runs for Pietersen when he rocks back to cut for three through the covers. One more single for Cook follows but both England batsman are looking very scratchy at the crease so far this morning. Pietersen survives another very close lbw shout but India can smell a wicket.

Sachin Tendulkar does very well to get down and stop another cut from Cook midway through the over. It's another maiden and Ashwin is yet to concede a run this morning.

Pietersen struggles to pick the gap early in the over but does get off strike with an inside edge behind square on the leg-side. Better from Cook, who earns a boundary with a well timed back-foot cut through the vacant off-side. Five runs from the over.

Ashwin finally gives away a run when Pietersen sweeps a single to deep square-leg. Rare mistake from Ashwin as he delivers a full toss which Cook gratefully hits to the mid-wicket boundary. England survive the first 30 minutes of the day, somehow.

Pietersen takes a single from the first ball of Ojha's over and then there are appeals when short leg takes a good catch but there's no bat from Cook. Two runs come from the over.

First bowling change of the day as Zaheer comes into the attack to replace Ashwin.

It's a good start from the experienced seamer, who shows superb accuracy to not give Cook an inch of freedom at the crease. Some signs of reverse swing, maiden over.

Ojha has certainly looked the most threatening bowler this morning and he continues his spell with a maiden. Pietersen is beginning to look more relaxed at the crease now despite the increasing spin.

Zaheer's pace may have declined over the years but the quality of his bowling has not. Cook looks solid in defence but that's a third maiden in a row from India's bowlers.

Probably the biggest appeal of the day from India but Pietersen gets an inside edge on the ball and it's a good decision from Tony Hill.

No appeal needed this time from Ojha! Pietersen is once again dismissed by left-arm spin as he plays around a perfect delivery before the ball crashes into the timber. Nightmare for England! Ian Bell in next.

What on earth is Bell doing? The new batsman charges down the pitch on his first ball but he only makes contact with the bottom of his bat and picks out Tendulkar at mid-off. Foolish shot but Ojha is on a hat-trick! Samit Patel walks to the crease.

Cook is so close to finding the fielder at leg slip with a flick off his pads but there's no hat-trick for Ojha. The spinner is excited again on the last ball but Tony Hill refuses to give lbw.

Graham Gooch, England's batting coach, looked disgusted with Bell's shot and rightly so. What a silly thing to do as a new batsman!

Patel must show some character during such a difficult period in the game and he does well to block out a maiden against the ever-accurate Zaheer. The Notts all-rounder does get off the mark with a push through the covers for a single.

The superb Ojha continues his spell following that double-wicket maiden. Patel does well to get forward to the spinning ball but it's another maiden over. What a first hour we've had this morning. Time for a drinks break.

Good move from Dhoni to bring Ashwin back after the break. Cook looks determined to lead from the front, he just isn't getting the support at the moment. No runs on offer for the skipper though, it's a maiden on Ashwin's return.

Ojha starts with a beauty at Patel and that's so close to catching the outside edge. Two defensive shots are followed by another beauty from Ojha which Patel has no answer for but he does get off strike with a single to mid-wicket. Great shot from Cook to end the over as he drops to one knee and sweeps behind square for four runs.

Dhoni has the luxury of keeping with some very attacking fields. Patel can't pick the gaps either so the pressure builds throughout the maiden over.

Ojha continues but Cook seems to be the only one who is playing him relatively well this morning. There's another sweeps shot from the skipper but he can only get a single with the fielder in the deep doing well. Couple of runs for Patel, who latches onto a short ball to earn two through mid-wicket.

England trail by 443 but more worryingly, still need 244 runs to avoid the follow-on.

Classic off-spin delivery from Ashwin is enough to see Cook edge the ball to Sehwag, who takes a regulation catch at slip. The captain deserves credit for the way he has battled but India have the wicket they desperately wanted. Matt Prior is the batsman but England look destined to follow-on.

Prior gets off the mark in fortunate fashion with an inside edge onto the leg-side. This is a nightmare for England but what a performance from India's spinners.

It looks like Prior is struggling to read Ojha here but then again, who hasn't today? An expansive drive is close to bringing an edge but Prior has gotten away with one there. Ojha then misses the off-stump by the width of a finger nail and that's a superb maiden over.

India get very excited when Patel plays across his front pad. The replay shows that it couldn't have been more straight and Patel has certainly had a stroke of luck there. England are once again fortunate when the ball spins enough to evade Dhoni and run away for four byes.

Prior looks like a club cricketer with no stickers on his bat and to be honest, Ojha is making the England players play like that too. Maiden over.

Sky Sports have confirmed that hawk-eye showed the lbw shout against Patel would have been out if India could have reviewed the decision. Strange decision from the umpire but it's who don't wish to use the DRS system.

Yuvraj Singh comes on for his bowl of the day following a brief spell yesterday. The part-time spinner does not turn the ball as much as Ashwin or Ojha but there's still only one run scored in the over.

Ashwin changes ends to replace Ojha and he starts with a turning, bouncing delivery which Patel does well to keep out. Good feet from Patel to nullify the spin but it's another maiden over. How many times has that been said this morning?

Yuvraj continues his spell but he certainly isn't one of India's bigger threats with the ball. Patel and Prior trade singles before Yuvraj beats the latter's outside edge with a beauty.

Patel hands the strike to Prior, who decides to not play a shot to Ashwin but there's too much bounce for that to be given lbw. Dropped catch! Prior is gifted a full toss but picks out Zaheer in the deep on the leg side, however, the veteran fails to keep hold of the ball and England's wicketkeeper has a boundary. That's very poor from Zaheer.

I almost forgot Umesh Yadav was playing! India's second seamer is given his first bowl of the match 20 minutes before the lunch break. There's a couple of runs on offer for Patel at deep square leg.

Patel got lucky with an lbw decision earlier but this is an awful call from Aleem Dar. The Notts all-rounder gets across his stumps and although Yadav's in-swinging delivery is clearly missing leg-stump, the finger is raised and Patel departs.

Good shot from Prior as he sweeps for four runs to fine leg. The wicketkeeper has another boundary later in the over with a drive through the covers. On replay, that decision from Dar to give Patel out looks out but Tim Bresnan is the new batsman.

Stroke of luck for Bresnan when the new batsman somehow keeps out a Yadav yorker with his inside edge. The replay shows that it was pad first so it's an even bigger slice of luck for Bresnan. This is good from Yadav as he then gets the Yorkshire man to play and miss outside off-stump. Maiden over from the fast bowler.

Nice paddle sweep from Prior hands the strike to Bresnan at the start of Ojha's new spell. The new batsman would be happy to make it to lunch, one single from the over.

Yadav offers just enough width outside off-stump to allow Prior to free his arms and earn four runs backward of point. When the India seamer does the same later in the over, Prior fails to make contact with the ball and could have edged the ball behind there. It's time for lunch in Ahmedabad.

Lunch: India can smell victory following another session of dominance from the hosts. England's problems with spin have resurfaced with Ojha and Ashwin looking dangerous throughout the morning. The tourists will surely be forced to follow-on later today but join us again at around 6.35am to see if they can halt India's progress.

Welcome back. We're about 10 minutes away from the resumption of play in Ahmedabad. If you're an England fan, your morning coffee may not go down too well. However, Indian fans can begin to think about victory. Here's the report from the first session: ENG 110-7

England need to just delay the follow-on for as long as possible and attempt to play positively against the spinners.

Dhoni and his players follow Prior and Bresnan out to the pitch. The Indian skipper deserves credit for his bowling changes and field placements today. Ojha will bowl the first over of this session.

The session starts with an appeal for lbw but that ball pitched outside leg-stump. Bresnan does well to keep out the maiden over but he remains on zero.

Yadav continues his spell now and he's easily been the fastest bowler in this game, going close to 90mph just before lunch. Great yorker from Yadav midway through the over but Prior does just enough to keep the ball from crashing into his stumps. It's a maiden.

Bresnan gets off the mark by taking advantage of a rare poor ball from Ojha to drive four runs through extra cover. Five runs come from the over.

Bresnan sneaks a single thanks to an inside edge onto his pad at the start of Yadav's new over. The Indian seamer has been impressive in this spell and the full pitched delivery seems to be the key. However, full bowling invites the drive and Prior plays that shot perfectly through the covers to earn four runs.

Bresnan is trying his utmost to take lbw out of the equation by playing with his bat well out in front of him. It's a maiden over from Ojha. India have now bowled 24 maidens in 56 overs while England only managed 22 in 160 overs.

Yadav continues but these two will always prefer to face a pace bowler on a surface like this. A good bouncer has Prior swaying away from the ball at the crease but England's wicketkeeper can take a single from the over with a nudge onto the leg-side. Could be time for Ashwin to come back on.

Ashwin is back into the attack but it's Ojha that he replaces. Prior gets off strike with a single to square-leg and Bresnan is then dropped at slip! It's the carrom ball from Ashwin but Bresnan's edge keeps low and Sehwag fails to hold onto the catch. Five runs come from the over.

Sehwag should have done better at slip but he looked a bit flat-footed.

Yadav has Prior reaching for the ball outside off-stump and that brings a confused look from the England ace. Prior does get bat on ball later in the over but it's only a single to third man. Stifled appeals from the final ball when Bresnan gets a slight inside edge before Yadav hits his pads.

A nice square cut from Bresnan brings England two runs at the start of Ashwin's over. This is turning into a nice partnership for the struggling tourists. Bresnan plays the same shot two balls later and it's the same result. Four runs from the over.

Dhoni brings Zaheer back into the attack for a new spell and he finds Prior's edge immediately but the ball drops well short of slip. There's a hint of movement in the over for Zaheer and it looks like a little bit of reverse swing. More bad news for England but Prior does have four when he guides the ball to the third man boundary.

Ashwin doesn't seem to be threatening as much as this morning but that could be due to the ball softening up a bit. Bresnan and Prior trade singles, two runs from the over.

Bresnan does look good in defence against Zaheer but it's difficult to see this pairing lasting long enough for England to avoid the follow-on. Once again, it's just two runs from the over.

Ashwin changes angle and comes round the wicket but Bresnan gets off strike with a push to deep cover. Prior does the same two balls later and Bresnan finds another runs with a cut to deep point.

Zaheer pleads with Aleem Dar to raise his finger at the start of a new over but Bresnan does get a slight inside edge on the swinging delivery. Good over from Zaheer, it's a maiden.

Ojha is back to replace Ashwin, who hasn't been great since lunch.

The change works for Dhoni once again as Ojha catches Bresnan's outside edge to allow Kohli to take a smart catch at short gully. Stuart Broad is the new batsman.

Broad looks like he will counter attack as he begins his innings with a boundary over deep mid-wicket. Two more for Broad as he edges the ball to third man but it's a good return for Ojha.

Zaheer continues and Prior gives the strike to the new batsman with a push to deep cover. Broad just gets his bat down in time to keep out a beauty from Zaheer and he has a stroke of luck again when he drags one just wide of his stumps for a single.

Former England spinner Shaun Udal on Twitter: "Don't know why people r shocked at eng test score, we've been poor players of spin for over 20 years, looks like 4-0 I'm afraid to say."

Broad will play spin the only way he knows how and that's to attack. A powerful boundary through cover is followed by a beauty from the returning Ashwin, who is close to catching the outside edge. Broad launches a huge six straight down the ground from the last ball. Great shot and it's 14 runs from the over.

Zaheer has been impressive for India today but he'll be desperate to pick up a wicket. He almost does when he finds Broad's inside edge but the ball somehow manages to miss the stumps. Five runs from the over.

Ashwin is interested when Prior gets across his stumps to sweep but it looks as though he may have got glove on it. England's wicketkeeper plays the same shot two balls later but gets four runs thanks to some poor fielding from Zaheer at fine leg. Another appeal when Pujara takes a catch at short leg following a reverse sweep but there's no bat involved from Prior.

Ashwin is interested when Prior gets across his stumps to sweep but it looks as though he may have got glove on it. England's wicketkeeper plays the same shot two balls later but gets four runs thanks to some poor fielding from Zaheer at fine leg. Another appeal when Pujara takes a catch at short leg following a reverse sweep but there's no bat involved from Prior.

Broad doesn't look comfortable against the skill of Zaheer and he twice hangs his bat outside off-stump in the opening three balls of the over. There's a hopeful appeal at the end of the over but the ball was going past leg-stump.

Prior sweeping more often now and he moves to 48 with a single to square leg. It's not a surprise to see him play so well while England are struggling. He's improved massively in the last 2-3 years. Two runs from the over.

Frustration for Zaheer as he strays down leg to gift four leg byes to England. Three runs for Broad with a push straight past the bowler but there's a good response from Zaheer when he fires the ball into Prior's pads. No chance of an lbw decision there, though.

Zaheer finally gets the wicket his performance has deserved. The experience seamer brings one back into broad's pads and Aleem Dar eventually gives the 34-year-old an lbw decision. England on the brink of being forced to follow-on.

Graeme Swann is the new batsman and he survives the final ball of the over, just. Zaheer is furious that England's number 11 isn't given out lbw and it was very, very close.

Ojha begins a new spell as he looks for a five-wicket haul.

Ojha does get a thoroughly deserved five-wicket haul. Prior attempts to make some room but he misses a cut shot and is bowled on 48. Not good enough from England and it looks like India will enforce the follow-on.

Superb display from India's bowling attack throughout the day. Most of the talk has been about Ashwin ahead of the series and although he was impressive, Ojha has been the star with figures of 5-45.

Tea: An early tea has been taken in Ahmedabad but I can confirm that India have enforced the follow-on and England will have to find a better way to deal with Ojha and his friends.

England are still 330 runs behind India's total, so an innings defeat looks likely I'm afraid England fans.

The Indian players are making their way back out and are closely followed by Cook and Nick Compton. England need something special from their opening pair.

It will be Yadav who takes the new ball and he was impressive in his spell before lunch. Two slips and a gully in place. here we go!

Good start from Yadav and his pace is much higher than any other bowler in this game. It's a maiden over with most balls coming in at a touch under 90mph.

It will be Ojha who takes the new ball from the GMDC end.

Big shout for lbw from Ojha's second ball but Aleem Dar isn't interested. To be fair, it may have been just missing leg-stump. Compton is confused when he goes to sweep but quickly switches to another defensive shot. It's another maiden over.

Dhoni has a bit of a moan at Dar between overs but he may have overstepped the mark there.

Cook gets England's first runs of the innings with a couple onto the leg-side from Yadav's fourth ball of the innings. 30 overs left today.

Compton has started in much the same way he did in the first innings, with some good defensive shots. Brilliant accuracy shown by Ojha, though and it's another maiden for the spinner.

Compton has started in much the same way he did in the first innings, with some good defensive shots. Brilliant accuracy shown by Ojha, though and it's another maiden for the spinner.

Another good over for India as Yadav keeps a tight line outside off-stump, only conceding two runs. England can't just stand still in this innings.

Ashwin is given his first bowl of the innings by captain Dhoni. Compton does well to get off strike with a nudge to mid-off and there's two runs for Cook with a tickle to fine leg. Sloppy work by Pujara at silly point gives away an extra run.

Yadav is showing England's pace bowlers how to do it on this pitch. He keeps a full line throughout the over and offers Compton very little room outside off-stump. Just a single scored in the over.

Ashwin continues and he's trying to get Compton playing by looping the ball over the batsman's eye-line. Big turn from Ashwin but Compton is able to tuck the ball to fine leg for a couple of runs. Good shot from Compton as he gets the reverse sweep out to earn four more runs square of the wicket.

Ojha is back into the attack to replace Yadav but he's disappointed when Cook takes a couple of steps before launching the ball over mid-wicket for four runs. Compton uses his feet very well later in the over to snatch a single to mid-on, that's how England should be playing spin. Seven runs from the over.

Ashwin continues round the wicket to Cook but the skipper gets off strike with a nudge to deep cover. Only a single from an accurate Ashwin over.

Ojha bowling the ball very slowly to give it every chance of spinning. Better over than his previous one to Cook and there's just a single from it.

Cook and Compton looking pretty solid so far in this innings. Ashwin drops his length a bit too short and the England skipper earns four runs backward of point. Even better shot from Cook two balls later as he times a drive perfectly to claim four more runs through extra cover.

Dhoni fancies a chance in this innings and Virender Sehwag is going to be given a ball. The change almost works immediately as Cook edges the ball just short of Kohli at slip. One run from the over.

There's a change of ends for Ojha as he replaces Ashwin. Compton takes a single on the off-side to bring his skipper on strike and there's big turn later in the over but Cook is safe, just.

Just the one over for Sehwag as Ashwin changes ends too. Much more positive intent being shown by England so far in this innings but it's a maiden over for Ashwin.

Cook times a sweep very well but his shot strikes Pujara at short leg. Ojha decides to bowl from round the wicket against Cook but the angle helps the skipper to rock back and find the cover boundary with a gorgeous cut shot.

Slightly streaky shot from Compton as he earns four runs with a thick edge to third man, much to the frustration of Ashwin. Ojha is hurt when he fields a Compton shot at mid-wicket. It doesn't look good and he is receiving treatment from the physio. He's holding his arm but from the replay, it's difficult to tell what the problem is. Ojha is escorted off the field, really bad news for India. Harbhajan Singh is on as a replacement. Eight runs come from the over.

If Ojha is hurt and unable to bowl, that could be a massive moment in this Test match following his heroics in the first innings.

Zaheer will get his first bowl of the innings following Ojha's injury. The seamer comes round the wicket to Compton but the Somerset is very comfortable against faster bowling. Good running from this pair as Compton sneaks a single to keep the strike.

Ojha is back but he doesn't look completely comfortable. The injury is on his non-bowling arm, which will come as a relief to the Indians.

An inside edge from Cook goes for four runs to fine leg and brings up the fifty partnership between England's opening pair. Six from the over.

The teams have just had a drinks break, England are still 277 runs behind.

Cook hands the strike to Compton at the beginning of a new over from Ojha, who seems to have recovered since his injury scare. The pace of the pitch seems to have slowed considerably. Three runs from the over.

Cook is determined to play a straight bat just outside leg-stump to Ashwin. Good over from the Indian spinner though but the hosts do seem to have lost some of their threat.

So close for India! Ojha catches Compton's outside edge but Kohli can't get enough of a hand to the ball at second slip. Maiden over but Compton is handling himself way today.

Vintage Cook as he picks Ashwin's length perfectly to cut the ball to the point boundary. Only the four runs from the over. This is a quiet spell in the match, which is good for England.

Compton gives the strike to Cook and the captain once again finds the boundary rope with a powerful sweep shot. Ojha wants lbw when Cook misses his next sweep shot and the replay suggests that the skipper was very, very lucky.

Good stop from Kohli at cover to prevent Compton collecting four runs from Ashwin's full toss. Maiden over.

Ojha begins a new over but he's met with some stubborn defence from Cook. There's an easy single on offer for Cook at cover from the final ball.

England just playing for the end of the day but they're doing it in a positive manner. Two singles come from Ashwin's over. Dhoni may be starting to feel a little frustrated.

Ojha begins a new over but he hasn't troubled Compton for a while now. Easy single for the Somerset batsman before Cook makes a good decision to leave one that bounces outside off-stump. Two runs from the over.

Easy pickings for Cook when Ashwin delivers a full toss outside leg-stump and it's four runs behind square for the England skipper.

Fifty for Cook Too short from Ojha and Cook takes advantage to pull powerfully for four runs to record his half century in style. Good innings from the skipper but he'll want to be at the crease for a lot longer. Good running as Cook calls for a single with Tendulkar reacting slowly at mid-on.

It's time for a change as Dhoni brings Yadav back into the attack with 30 minute left of play. Four more for Cook in the over with a guided shot through a gap in the slips. Five runs from Yadav's return to the attack.

Plenty of singles on offer for the England batsmen at this stage of the day. Compton looking increasingly comfortable at the crease. Ojha strays onto the pads, resulting in three leg byes. Six runs from the over.

Yadav continues to show very good pace with the ball in his hand and his line has been very consistent. Cook takes just one single from the over.

Dhoni ready to give Tendulkar a bowl now as the close of play approaches.

Tendulkar bowls plenty of variations but he can throw down a half-tracker every now and again. Cook pounces on two poor deliveries to collect two boundaries and take this partnership past 100.

Yadav is intent on keeping a line just outside off-stump and that could be a good tactic for him with his pace. Four singles from the over.

Ashwin comes on to replace Tendulkar to bowl a couple of overs before the close of play. Great shot from Cook, who latches onto a full ball to drive perfectly through the covers for four runs.

Nice paddle sweep from Compton for a single to start a new over from Ojha. Cook keen to make this the final over of the day but he doesn't succeed, one more left to play.

Close of play: Compton nudges the final ball of the over onto the leg-side to end the day's proceedings. England have responded superbly during the follow-on.

It's certainly India's day once again thanks to the heroics of Ashwin and Ojha. However, that fightback has improved the chances of the tourists claiming an unlikely draw.