Ben Stokes makes breakthrough for England on tough morning against India
India were three balls away from a wicketless session when Stokes pulled a rabbit out of the hat, hurling down the stumps at the bowler's end to give his side a much-needed boost in draining heat.
Pant was gone for an entertaining 74 having shared a stand of 141 with KL Rahul, who was not out on 98 at the interval. His eagerness to get back on strike and tick off his hundred may have contributed to the risky run, but Stokes still needed the perfect pick-up and throw. That left India 248 for four, 139 behind England's first-innings mark.
Jofra Archer kicked things off at the Pavilion End, hoping to recapture some of the excitement of his long-awaited comeback spell on Friday.
But there was no joy this time, the seamer's first delivery tucked away for four off Pant's hip as he embarked on four chanceless overs.
He and Chris Woakes had exerted some control, sharing 31 successive balls without a run off the bat, but the introduction of Brydon Carse brought out the best in India. They looted 22 off his first two overs, including three fours in a row from Rahul as he topped up his overnight score of 53.
Pant was keen to get involved, trying and failing to connect with his trademark rollover ramp shot and lashing Woakes through the off side with a couple of clean hits.
With Rahul impenetrable and Pant's flourishes largely coming off, England were struggling to find a way in. Stokes hit Pant on the glove, aggravating the finger injury he suffered keeping wicket in the first innings, but he was still able to reach his half-century with a hooked six over fine leg.
With 20 minutes of the session remaining, Shoaib Bashir finally got the nod but the switch to spin did not have the desired effect. Pant charged his first ball, lifting it all the way over long-on for six more.
Zak Crawley produced an athletic dive and parry to save another six, earning an enthusiastic clap off Stokes. When his chance came to make his own mark in the field he did not let it slip, instantly spotting his opportunity at short cover and making the most of it.
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