England started day two of the third Test with India looking to consolidate their solid opening day by quickly wrapping up the hosts' tail.
Monty Panesar impressed with the ball in the morning session and not long after the hour India were all out for 316.
England dominated with the bat thereafter, with Cook and Compton scoring 165 before the latter was finally beaten on 57.
Cook broke two records during his 136*, becoming both the youngest man to reach 7,000 Test runs and the only Englishman to score 23 Test centuries.
See how the play unfolded below with Sports Mole's live text commentary.
Hello and good morning. Thanks for joining Sports Mole for today's action.
Play is just under 15 minutes away. Enough time to reflect on a successful first day for England.
It wasn't dominant as such, more a thoroughly efficient performance - so far - fielding first on what seemed a good pitch for batting.
India will resume on 273-7 with really only two notable knocks on day one. Gautam Gambhir - who was at fault for running out Virender Sehwag - managed 60 and was looking good before getting out. The 'little master' Sachin Tendulkar played a very edgy 76 and got out just as he was looking comfortable for the first time.
Monty Panesar took the important wickets of Gambhir and Che Pujara as he bowled 35 overs in the day. Jimmy Anderson displayed the best day of seam bowling from any quick in the series so far with three wickets - one in each of his final three spells.
The bowling pressure needs to keep up this morning as England look to rattle off the Indian tail quickly, although the hosts still have MS Dhoni (22*), who has the potential to hurt the tourists with his powerful stroke play.
Anderson's performance yesterday really cannot be overstated. On a pitch with nothing at all but an uneven bounce he fashioned swing both ways as the day wore on and varied his line and length superbly to the different batsmen to take some very well thought out wickets. If India can be bowled out inside another 50 runs, or fewer, then England have a real chance.
India skipper Shoni leads out Zaheer Khan and we're about to get started. Anderson will take the four-over-old ball and begin proceedings.
Dhoni does indeed come out fighting - he dispatches the second ball back past Anderson for four before rotating the strike with a single. A defensive Zaheer blocks for one run to get off the mark and Dhoni keeps the strike with a messy pull.
Panesar given the ball for his 36th over and the seam-spin combination continues. Dhoni works a single square on the off side and Panesar gets a few goes at Zaheer. However, he is happy to just get behind the ball before getting a single of his own off his legs to regain the strike.
First play and miss from Zaheer as Anderson gets one to pitch just outside the off stump, then he's alert to weave out of the way of a shorter ball. Edged! Dropped! Swann puts what looked a simple chance down at third slip. He had time to react as well. Oh dear. Then four byes as Anderson chucks down a frustrated bouncer.
Anderson's over is finished with a four through mid-wicket. Frustrating for the seamer, he thought he had his early wicket.
Wicket! Zaheer (6) LBW Panesar
The Swann drop isn't costly and Zaheer's defence is done by a nippy one that's plum on the pads.
Dhoni looked to attack from Panesar rather than block, and the spinner gets one just past the edge. Dhoni responds with a straight single and then Panesar strikes next ball to bring in Ishant Sharma.
Sharma waits at the non-striker's end as Anderson bowls to Dhoni. The India skipper pulls one brilliantly behind leg and it races away for four, then swings and misses to bring Sharma in to play.
Wicket! Sharma (0) b Panesar
It's a proper tail-ender wicket that. Panesar loops one straight, Sharma tries to play but misses completely and his stumps are parted far too easily. Four for Monty, and one more needed for England.
Pragyan Ojha is in to face three deliveries from the left-armer and he refuses the single off the last ball for Dhoni to resume strike.
Dhoni, too, chooses not to run after working Anderson's first delivery to the man at deep cover. Single from the last ball and Dhoni will face Panesar next over.
Dhoni is patient but manages a fantastic six over mid-off, which brings up the 300, then goes leg side for another huge six!
The two sixes mean Anderson gets a go at Ojha for an over, but Dhoni is on to a run like a flash to get himself back on strike. He gets another off the last over and will face.
Cook, Panesar and Matt Prior discuss the field and opt for a defensive one with long-on, long-off and no slips. An odd chip to mid-off gets Dhoni a single and he will face Anderson.
Dhoni still happy to be cautious with his running and turns up another chance of a single early in the Anderson over. He doesn't get a chance to run on the final ball and has to give up the strike.
Graeme Swann is into the attack in a spin replacement, for only his 15th over. Ojha plays the first couple of deliveries well before one almost squeezes through the gate. No runs and Dhoni is back on strike.
Dhoni gets a thick edge but it's well fielded. Dhoni just watches - if it's not a four he doesn't want to risk the single. As a result it's another maiden over.
Frustratingly slow scoring now as Ojha blocks out another Swann over. You'd think India were hanging on here on day five, not two.
Wicket! Dhoni (52) c Swann b Finn
Dhoni finally brings up his fifty with a shot through deep extra cover, then next ball gloves it in the air to Swann at point who holds this time. England can look to score some runs until lunch now.
While we wait for England to resume, have a read our innings report here.
Manually refresh and the link will be working now, I promise.
The teams are back out. Zaheer will bowl to Alastair Cook, with Nick Compton at the other end.
Typically solid start from Cook, getting behind the first over and waiting for a scoring chance, which arrives on the final ball - he cuts a shorter, wider one square for four.
Sharma given the ball from the other end, and Compton starts patiently too. A slight mix up makes a single look more tricky than it was, and Compton returns for two on the overthrow.
Another four for Cook, although it was edged, and England are doing this at their own pace, waiting for the deliveries to score.
Sharma delivers an over of good line, good length balls that are of no real threat to Compton, who is happy to leave most outside his off stump.
Cook picks up a single and for the first time Compton will face the left-handed Zaheer, who scampers back for one of his own with a prod to cover.
Cook, back on strike glances fine off his legs for four and it's six off the over.
Sharma goes short and Compton pulls, but he doesn't connect that well and gets just a single. Now Cook, who was dismissed four times by Sharma last summer, faces and immediately one goes into his pads but it is just leg side.
A good, straight delivery from Zaheer finds a very thick edge from Compton, but it's easily safe. A maiden over.
Cook plays late from Sharma to clip one through the slips for four, which leads to the introduction of a third man. He tries again but gets too much on it this time. Cook has scored reasonably quickly so far, but Compton is still on just four.
An odd mix-up on the last ball of Zaheer's over. Compton starts to run but they decide against it in time to get safely behind their respective creases.
Time for spin as Ravichandran Ashwin replaces Sharma and Cook sees out his first over for a maiden.
Lunch: Sharma replaces Zaheer to come straight back into the attack. Compton picks up a single to the off side, which is the first England run for a while. Sharma's line is too far outside off stump and Cook does not need to play at those.
It's another good session for England. Dhoni and Ojha perhaps hung on a little longer than the tourists would have liked for that 10th wicket, but despite a couple of cracking sixes from the India skipper England wrapped up the tail nicely.
Then it was important to see out the 11 overs until lunch without losing a wicket, and the opening pair of Cook and Compton did that with few troubles. Cook has scored faster for his 17 with a few decent boundaries, but Compton has been very patient with five from 31.
Time for a short break. Join me again at roughly 6am to see if England can bat well through the vital next session.
Welcome back. The players will be back on the pitch soon for this important afternoon session. If England bat well without losing many wickets they could be well on their way to reaching India's total by the end of the day.
India, naturally, will want to break this partnership as early as possible. There's a low bounce, but there wasn't much in the way of swing or turn before lunch. England should be looking to press on here. Khan is back in and he will bowl to Compton.
Nice tuck off his legs as Zaheer comes round the wicket and Compton makes his first boundary. A shade of swing beats Compton next ball; good response from the bowler.
Double seam from India as Sharma bowls to Cook. England's captain waggles at one just outside off stump but it misses the edge - that's the line Sharma wants to the left-hander. Again one flies past the edge and Cook is living dangerously. Really good from Sharma and he's rewarded with a maiden, but no wicket.
Compton flicks one off his pads for a single. Zaheer is getting some reverse swing as Cook has to be alert to block in front of his stumps. He edges! It's dropped at first slip! Awful from Pujara! It carried comfortably low down and went straight through his hands.
Compton struggling with his timing with the low bounce. A couple of times he opens up his shoulders but the ball comes off the bottom of the bat. Another maiden for Sharma and he's given up just eight runs from seven overs.
A cut from Cook gets him a single and Compton sees out the rest of the over.
Cook gets another early single to mid-wicket and Compton nibbles at one that's some way wide of his off stump. He's faced over 50 deliveries now and still has just 11 runs. Very slow progress since lunch, as it so often is in Tests.
Bowling change for India as Ashwin comes back in to replace Zaheer. Superb sweep straight off from Cook and it races to square leg for four. He then comes down the wicket and runs a quick single after planting it to extra cover. Compton gets a slice of luck after an edge and the quick outfield ensures it goes for four.
Sharma continues and England continue to struggle for runs against him. That is until Cook leans forward and drives a half-volley through the cover region for four runs.
England scamper for a single that was almost not there, and with Cook on strike he lifts a glorious six over deep mid-wicket. He gets another single and really looks to attack the off-spin of Ashwin.
Sharma continues to bowl a line that is comfortable for Cook to leave without tempting him into shots. He then brings one in close to the stumps and Cook gets a thick inside-bottom edge, but it bounces safe. Lovely shot off his pads flies to the boundary off the last ball of the over.
Good, quick single for Compton as he tries to keep his score ticking, then Cook gets a thick inside edge that goes to the fine leg boundary. A single from him gets him back on strike.
Sharma out of the attack for Zaheer, who should have the wicket of Cook to his name. Cook nicks a single to edge towards his 50, and a half-hearted appeal for LBW gets the crowd excited at least. It's clearly got a thick edge before pad, and wasn't even on target.
Cook flicks one to let for a single and Compton blocks the final ball of an Ashwin over that went by in a flash.
Cook's scoring has slowed down since he's got close to 50 and Zaheer gets a maiden. Drinks.
Ojha comes into the attack after drinks, replacing Ashwin. Compton can't eke out any runs and that's two maidens running for India.
Fifty for Cook! He moves to within one of his 50 with a lovely straight drive from Zaheer, who cannot stop it going past him. A single from the following ball does bring up his fifty - a good knock so far. Compton leaves the rest of the over.
Compton takes charge from a Cook block to run a quick single that didn't look on. That's why - he comes down the pitch and knocks Ojha back over his head for six!
Zaheer getting some swing away from Cook, who sees out the over for a maiden.
Compton, who is looking more comfortable, flicks off his pads to leg for a single. Cook paddle-sweeps and is able to get back for two and then misses the chance to cut from a shorter Ojha delivery.
Big shout against Compton as he misses a paddle-sweep of his own. Not clear if India wanted LBW or a catch there - I assume LB, but it was way down leg side. The batsmen cross for a single and nearly run into each other. Cook is surrounded and a flick off his pads falls just short of leg slip. A risky run eventually goes for four overthrows - five overall.
Cook sweeps for an early single and Compton gets one of his own as this opening pair continue to push for quick ones. Cook then dinks a sweep to leg side from a delivery well wide of off.
Ashwin continues to double-spin tactic for Dhoni and Cook is firmly behind the deliveries until a lovely push through extra cover brings up a four off the last ball.
A comfortable single for once from Compton with a push to midwicket and Cook sweeps for a well-run two. They sense some sluggishness in the field and are taking advantage. Cook sweeps again and this time it's just a single, before Compton blocks the final two balls.
Ashwin not finding much turn on this surface and the ease with which Cook is flicking off his pads only goes to show how good England's bowling was. Another quick single sees Cook on to 68.
Cook sweeps for a single and Dhoni is not happy with the ball here. The umpires agree and they get a replacement that looks in better condition. Good shot through cover point for Compton for four brings up the tourists' 100.
Ashwin, who has been expensive, continues. Cook responds to a rejected appeal by slapping a wideish one through covers for four.
Compton, picking up his pace now, flicks a poor delivery down to the fine leg boundary and then picks up a single to give Cook a go. A single for Cook on the off side keeps the strike rotating.
Ashwin pops one full and Cook pushes it square. It's well fielded but quick running gets England three.
Cook flicks for a single and Compton comes down the ground to get one of his own through a punch to midwicket. They run another from the next ball and Compton defends the remaining balls.
Accurate bowling from Ashwin forces Cook on the defensive and it's the first maiden over for a while.
Tea: Compton picks up another run to mid-on and Cook does likewise with a flick off his pads square. More excellent running gets Compton three more with a push towards the square leg boundary - he's into the 40s and this is his highest Test score.
Another session to England and that was a huge one to win. Cook has batted sublimely, which has given the nervous Compton all the time he needs to play himself in. He reached 41 before the break and was starting to find the gaps with some good shots. Cook is on 80 and looks set to reach a ton early in the evening session.
Join me again at around 8.30am for the final session.
Hello and welcome back. The teams are coming back out. The big landmark for this session will be if Cook reaches his 100 he'll beat the record for highest Test centuries of any Englishman. No pressure Alastair! Sharma will bowl.
Compton with a deliberate cut to backward point moves him to within five his his maiden Test 50, and another single brings him to within four...
Ashwin to bowl with both Cook and Compton running well. Compton so close to an edge to Dhoni on 49! Nervous moments for him.
Good shot from Cook as he cuts square for four; a favourite of his, that shot. Three more for the captain and England are scoring quite quickly at the start of session three.
Maiden over. That last three from Cook took him to 7,000 Test runs and he's the youngest ever player to reach that milestone. Twelve more and he'll have the most centuries of any English player in Tests.
Sharma steps over the line and no-balls for only the second extra of the innings. Compton pulls for one run and reaches his fifty! His first one in his third Test - he's ground that out, well played. Cook moves on to 92 with a late shot through the slips. Or, where the slips would be, there's only second slip in place.
Compton glances to leg off Ashwin's bowling for a single and Cook does likewise. Just those two from the over.
Solid maiden for Sharma. Cook isn't going to be tempted into wild swings outside off stump when he's seven away from his century and that milestone 23rd.
Compton stops the run of dot balls with a single to leg side after advancing down the wicket. The crowd have livened up, they want to see a wicket instead of a century. Cook moves to 94 with a clip off his pads.
Brilliant shot by Cook. He gets down on one knee and scoops a loopy Ashwin ball over extra cover for four to move on to 98. Not this over, the wait goes on.
Compton again advances to notch a single to the off side and there is Cook's century! His 23rd, the most of any England player ever! Wonderful achievement and he got there with a neat paddle-sweep.
A Cook sweep goes fine down the leg side for four. A Little streaky that one, perhaps. Compton again uses his feet well and it's a four through midwicket.
Wicket! Compton (57) LBW b Ojha
Well, Rod Tucker looked as though he shook his head before putting his finger up. However, on replay it does look out. The partnership is finally broken.
Zaheer in to replace Ashwin. Cook gets two with a nice pull and adds another couple, but it will be given as four as the fielder was touching the rope. Wonderful cut to the rope brings up another four and 10 from the over. Ten becomes 11 with a straight drive for a single. Jonathan Trott must wait to face his first ball.
Cook clips for a single and Trott, who is under some pressure, will face Ojha. He opens his account with a very fine inside edge to fine leg - it's not a first innings duck this time.
Sharma fields well from a trademark Cook cut, but Zaheer should know better than to bowl there to him. Minor appeal for LB with one that's going well wide of off stump and Cook drives deliciously through extra cover for four - he's flying now and is on 124.
Trott watching the ball on to his bat nicely against Ojha. He'll have to grind out an innings, much like Compton's, who had the perfect partner in Cook at the other end. It's a maiden.
Ashwin throws up a full toss and Cook gives it the treatment it deserves, dispatching to the mid on boundary for four.
Ojha adds a touch of pace and Trott misses with the attempted sweep, but it was always missing leg stump. No runs for the second Ojha over in a row.
Third umpire in action for a potential Cook run out. I could see front front on, on a screen, that it wasn't out but that's the third umpire's first action of the day so I won't be too harsh. Trott nudges one to leg for a single of his own and poor fielding from Sharma allows Cook a simple one of his own.
Cook turns one round the corner off his pads for one, while Trott still tries to work himself into the game. He does just that with a clip to the legside boundary - that one he meant.
Ashwin continues and a defensive push from Cook brings up England's 200 - his 132. Trott clips to short fine leg for a single. Eleven overs left in the day.
Only a couple of close catchers for Trott from Ojha's bowling. He's allowed to play at will and he picks off a lovely clip to mid-wicket for four.
Cook picks up a single, as does Trott, but the latter's was from a late block as a quicker one nearly got through.
Trott flicks off his pads for a single, which is the only run from Ojha's over.
Trott is happy to fend off anything near his stumps and play the odd comfortable shot for one run, as he does on the sixth ball of Ashwin's over.
It's still spin-spin as Ojha tries to get past the Trott wall. He can't and it's another maiden for the left-armer.
Neither batsman wants to take any risks now. They both want to be there in the morning and it's Cook's turn to defend an over, from Ashwin.
Ojha finds some turn late in the day and beats Trott's bat. Good direct throw as Trott runs for the quick single but he's well safe. The fans appeal, but it's desperation more than expectation.
Trott nicks one run by flicking off his pads and Cook sweeps a straight one for a single.
Zaheer comes in to bowl with just a few overs left, replacing Ojha. Cook is more than happy to leave and block. Zaheer gets one to cut into the left-hander's pads but he clips it away leg side for a single. Trott clips to fine leg for one of his own and these two are one away from the 50 partnership.
It's Sharma from the other end as India end the day with some seam. One delivery lacks bounce and goes not far wide of Trott's off stump and the batsman gets a good chance to cut but ends up bottom-edging it into the ground. Another very close leave that couldn't have missed by many inches and it's a maiden. Just one over left.
Stumps, day two: Cook digs out an attempted yorker and that is the 50 partnership, from 115 balls. Trott plays a similar shot to get one run of his own and that's the end of the day with India's lead 100.
The day belongs to England and particularly Cook. Panesar bowled well this morning to help wrap up the India tail for 316, which sent Cook and Compton into play. The former broke two batting records - youngest player to 7,000 Test runs and first Englishman to 23 Test centuries - to finish the day on an unbeaten 136. England are just 100 behind with nine wickets in hand.
That's all from me, thanks for joining Sports Mole for the action. Please join us for the remaining three days. Before you leave, here's our report on the day's play. Enjoy.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
