Pujara puts India in front

Cheteshwar Pujara's painstaking century gave India a narrow lead on the second day of the fourth Test after England off-spinner Moeen Ali took five wickets at Southampton on Friday.

Pujara's near six-hour 132 not out was the cornerstone of India's 273, made in reply to England's first-innings 246. Ali took five wickets for 63 runs in 16 overs. Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings batted out four overs as England reached stumps on six without loss in their second innings -- a deficit of 21 runs.

Pujara was on 78 when Ali struck twice in two balls to leave India, 2-1 down in the five-match series, on 195 for eight.

Ishant Sharma survived the hat-trick at the start of Ali's next over before he too fell to the all-rounder. That left Pujara, then on 96, with only No 11 Jasprit Bumrah for company.

But a swept two off Ali took him to 99 and he then survived the bowler's review for leg-before after third umpire Joel Wilson ruled he had been playing a shot. India number three Pujara, with the field up, lofted Ali down the ground to complete a deserved century, his 15th in Tests, off 210 balls including 11 fours.

Broad eventually had Bumrah, who batted over an hour for six, caught by Cook at first slip.

After India resumed Friday on 19 without loss, Broad removed openers KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan to leave India 50 for two. Pujara and India captain Virat Kohli (46) rebuilt the innings with a third-wicket stand of 92.

But after lunch Sam Curran took the prize wicket of Kohli, who in the course of his 119th Test innings became the fastest Indian batsman to reach 6,000 runs in Test cricket.

The 20-year-old Surrey left-arm swing bowler angled a delivery across the star batsman who pushed out away from his body and saw the ensuing edge well caught low at first slip by Cook.

All-rounder Ben Stokes's first legitimate delivery on Friday saw Pujara, on 50, just edge beyond wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.

Meanwhile, the often aggressive Rishabh Pant was lbw for a 29-ball duck to Ali off what became the last ball before tea. Hardik Pandya was caught at short midwicket by Root off Ali. Ravichandran Ashwin then inexplicably tried to reverse sweep his opposing off-spinner and played on, before Ali's next ball clean-bowled Mohammed Shami.

SCORES IN BRIEF

ENGLAND: First innings 246 and 6 without loss (Jennings 4 not out, Cook 2 not out)

INDIA: First innings 273 all out (Pujara 132 not out, Kohli 46, Dhawan 23; Ali 5-63, Broad 3-63)