Joe Root caught at slip for 78 as India close in on 2-0 series lead

England lost Joe Root just before lunch on day four as they remained on course to lose the third Test and concede an unassailable 2-0 series lead to India.

The tourists resumed on 78 for four, still 56 runs short of making India bat again in Mohali, and thanks principally to an admirable 78 from Root they managed to creep 22 in front on 156 for seven.

Even before Root's departure, to a memorable one-handed catch by Ajinkya Rahane away to his left at slip from an edged drive at Ravindra Jadeja, England were running out of resources to scramble any sort of credible target.

They had lost their nightwatchman Gareth Batty to his second ball of the day, pushing forward and missing an arm ball from Jadeja to be lbw for a duck - and then Jos Buttler's brief counter-attack ended when he went up the pitch to Jayant Yadav but dragged a big hit straight into the hands of deep midwicket.

Haseeb Hameed, unable to open the previous evening after suffering what was feared to be a broken left little finger which could yet put the rest of his tour in jeopardy, then joined Root.

The Roses alliance appeared to represent England's last realistic chance of delaying India significantly, and Root completed a skilful and determined 147-ball half-century when he clipped Jadeja past midwicket for just his third boundary.

Hameed, showing no obvious signs of pain, was soon predictably tested by the short ball as Virat Kohli summoned Mohammad Shami.

The teenage Lancastrian passed that test, however - and having got off the mark with a pushed single from the 19th ball he faced, he survived one scare on six when his thick edge to only the second ball bowled by Ravi Ashwin clattered in and out of Parthiv Patel's gloves.

It would have been a very good catch, from a hefty deflection, and all indications were that far easier opportunities would be in store for India to wrap up victory.

Defeat here for England will mean they must contemplate during the short break before the fourth Test in Mumbai how they might yet somehow be able to battle back to earn a highly unlikely 2-2 draw.