India vs England: Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja hit hundreds in Rajkot

Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja both struck centuries to take India to 326-5 after England made a stunning start to the first day of the third Test in Rajkot.

Asked to field after losing the toss, England had the hosts 33-3 inside the first hour and could have made that 47-4 had Joe Root held an edge at slip when Rohit had 27.

Reprieved, Rohit stroked an elegant 131 in a fourth-wicket partnership of 204 with Jadeja, promoted to number five on his return from a hamstring injury.

After Rohit fell, debutant Sarfaraz Khan dominated a stand of 77 with Jadeja. Sarfaraz, with a first-class average of almost 70 and whose father was in tears when he was presented with his cap, crashed a sparkling 62 from only 66 balls.

With Jadeja on 99 and Sarfaraz keen to run a single, Jadeja sent him back, too late to beat Mark Wood's direct hit from mid-on.

Jadeja reached his hundred from the next ball, but the wicket of Sarfaraz was a gift for England, just as the day seemed to be getting away from the tourists.

Wood, on his return to the England side after missing the second Test, was the pick of the bowlers with 3-69, well supported by the miserly James Anderson.

India perhaps had marginally the better of the day, but England fought hard. This is shaping up to be another compelling contest in a series perfectly poised at 1-1.

• England will rue missed chances, says Vaughan

• Rohit & Jadeja hit centuries in Rajkot - as it happened

• Rank Stokes' 10 best moments from his 100 Tests

England left to wonder what might have been

There is a long way to go in this match and the series, but there is a nagging feeling that Root's drop of Rohit could prove a vital moment.

England were dominant in the first hour and India, who made four changes to the side that won the second Test, tentative. The next two batters in were Sarfaraz and wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, both on debut.

Rohit still had to overturn being given lbw to Anderson and survive another leg-before shout off Rehan Ahmed that could have been given. Along with the composed Jadeja, the captain built a partnership that could prove to be defining.

England had taken advantage of some tackiness in the pitch in the early stages, but in the fierce afternoon sun, the surface began to look increasingly good for batting.

With temperatures set to reach 35 degrees during the course of the match, the pitch seems sure to deteriorate, the question is to what extent and how swiftly.

Despite the heat, England's efforts never dropped and India did not get away from them. However, in the second Test England could not find a suitable response to India's first-innings total and face a similar examination this time around.

Old heads come through

Ravindra Jadeja reached his century off 198 balls

This is an India batting line-up in transition. It is 25 years since they played a series without at least one of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli or Cheteshwar Pujara.

As the senior batter and skipper, Rohit was required to stand up after all of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Rajat Patidar fell cheaply. He had his moment of fortune when he tried to clip Tom Hartley through the leg side, with Root slow to move low to his left, but then played a captain's knock.

With rubber wrists he clipped off his pads, barely scoring a run in front of square on the off side. He hit three sixes off the spinners over the leg side and went to his 11th Test hundred with a cut off Ahmed, celebrating in subdued fashion.

Jadeja, on his home ground, does not possess Rohit's grace but is the premier multi-format all-rounder in world cricket. The left-hander jabbed the ball off his pads, hit drives down the ground, heaved Root for six and got lucky with a top edge off Wood for another maximum.

Rohit was just moving through the gears when he fell for Wood's short-ball plan, giving way to Sarfaraz, who lived up to his big reputation with sweeps and lofted drives off the spinners.

Jadeja's crawl through the 90s was perhaps the reason for the mix-up with Sarfaraz, a huge bonus for England late in the day. Jadeja's sword-swishing celebration lacked its usual gusto, but his continued presence is dangerous for England going into the second day.

Tireless Wood leads England effort

Wood took three wickets and ran out Sarfaraz in a fine showing on day one

England's decision to play two seamers for the first time in the series was vindicated. Anderson was a constant threat and Wood bowled tirelessly after his initial success with the new ball.

Jaiswal, who made a double century in the second Test, was discomforted by Wood's pace and poked to first slip. Gill, with a hundred of his own in Visakhapatnam, looked nervous and edged behind for a duck.

When Hartley's short ball stuck in the pitch and Patidar somehow chipped it to Ben Duckett at cover, England were rampant. Who knows how Hartley might have bowled had Root held Rohit, but from there the Lancashire man was never far away from a poor delivery.

Hartley was not the only one to struggle. Root has not taken a wicket since the first Test and England might be asking too much of his off-spin. Ahmed was the best, bowling a long spell after tea, but went wicketless.

Ben Stokes, the captain playing his 100th Test, went through his plans. At one stage Anderson had four catchers on the leg side and Wood's endeavour was rewarded when Rohit fell for the bouncer trap.

Even after such a huge effort, Wood still had the energy for his last act in running out Sarfaraz. England attempted without success to remove nightwatchman Kuldeep Yadav with the second new ball, which will be three overs old on Friday.

'India are on top' - reaction

England coach Paul Collingwood, speaking to TNT Sports: "It's been a good day of Test cricket, they've got some highly skilled batters, they fought back really well.

"The morning session was a bit cooler, it nipped around a bit. So tomorrow we've got a fresh new ball, we'll be looking to take early wickets."

BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew: "It will be a big session in the morning. 420 looks to be a decent score and England's batsmen must respond strongly when it's their turn or they'll find it tough batting last."

Former England captain Michael Vaughan: "England will be happy with their effort but the pitch will deteriorate. India are on top."