Birmingham, July 1 (UNI) An unbeaten 76-run stand between Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja helped India post 174/5 at tea of Day 1 of the delayed fifth Test match against England here on Friday.
India were in a deep troble after five of their batsmen returned to the pavilion with just 98 runs on the board, but both the left-handed batsmen exhibited their dogged determination to stay rooted at the crease and snatched the momentum from England's clutches.
Pant and Jadeja perfectly blended caution and aggression. They did not give any leeway to the English bowlers and did not miss an opportunity to whack loose balls for boundaries.
Resultantly, the partnership blossomed and the runs came off from their blades at a rapid rate.
In the post lunch session, India resumed their first innings at 53 for 2, but lost the third wicket in the form of Hanuma Vihari.

Vihari was trapped leg before off pacer Mathew Potts after he scored 20 runs.
Kohli also walked back to the pavilion as his timbers were disturbed when he got an inside edge of Potts after he scored 11 runs.
Shreyas Iyer looked good and smacked Potts for three boundaries, but lost his wicket by edging James Anderson to wicketkeeper Sam Billings at 15 runs.
Jadeja joined Pant in the middle and started to build a partnership. Pant cut loose after he clubbed spinner Jack Leach for 4,4,6 in the 37th over which completed their 50-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
Pant reached his fifty with a four over the deep square leg.
Earlier rain played spoilsport as India finished at 53 for 2 at lunch after James Anderson, who made his return to England side, bagged two wickets.
Vihari and Kohli were batting on 14 and 1 respectively when rain forced umpires to call for an early lunch. Anderson walked back having taken 2 for 15 in 8 overs.
Having missed the last Test against New Zealand due to an ankle injury, England's champion wicket-taker found his rhythm early on after Ben Stokes sent India in to bat first on an overcast morning.
Using the prevalent conditions to his advantage, Anderson sent in a rare short and wide ball, forcing Shubnam Gill to fend to Zak Crawley at second slip, after he had smacked 16 runs off his 17 in boundaries.
Anderson then removed his bunny Cheteshwar Pujara, India's other opener, for 13, after Crawley had dropped a more tough chance off Mathew Potts, giving relief to Hanuma Vihari on six.
The Test was rescheduled just hours before the Manchester Test last September because of coronavirus concerns within the India camp.
England retained only four players - Joe Root, Ollie Pope, Jonny Bairstow and Anderson - that lost to India at the Oval last year, leaving them 1-2 behind India in the five-match series.
India are without the services of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul. While Rohit was ruled out after testing Covid positive, Rahul had a groin injury.
India are eyeing their first series win in England since 2007 and just their fourth in after successes in 1971 and 1986.
Brief Scores: Ind First Innings 172/5 (43.2 Overs), Pant 53 (52) & Jadeja 32 (59).
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