James Anderson six wickets away from replacing Muralitharan as the most successful Test bowler vs India

After going wicket-less, England senior bowler James Anderson ensured he had at least one wicket to his name before the opening day of the third Test against India ended on Saturday.

Anderson dismissed set batsman Hardik Pandya, who became the victim of an excellent outswinger, which Pandya played with hard hands. Had he played it with soft hands, the ball wouldn’t have flown to Jos Buttler at second slip.  

Pandya has been associated with Anderson forever in a needless history for the former as he was Anderson’s 100th wicket against India in Test cricket.

While Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan so far is the most successful Test bowler against India in Tests with 105 wickets, Anderson has a great chance to surpass him in the ongoing Trent Bridge match.

Stat: Most wickets in Tests against India:
105 Muttiah Muralitharan
100 James Anderson
94 Imran Khan
76 Malcolm Marshall
67 Andy Roberts#ENGVIND

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) August 18, 2018

Earlier, Ben Stokes made his return just four days after being cleared of affray but it was another England all-rounder Chris Woakes who made early inroads into India's batting on on Saturday.

Woakes, centurion and man of the match in England's second test win at Lord's, took three wickets after the home side had won the toss and decided to attack the visitors' brittle top order once again in conditions where the ball jagged around.

Leading 2-0 and seeking to wrap up the five-Test series triumph, England, thanks to Woakes, reduced India to 82 for three by lunch in the first test match to be started on a Saturday in England since 1955.

Shikhar Dhawan, restored to the side in place of Murali Vijay, and Lokesh Rahul had started well enough with India's highest partnership of the entire series -- 60 -- as England's pacemen failed to make a breakthrough.

Stokes, back in the starting XI just four days after being found not guilty of affray in a high profile court case, was given a ripple of applause as he came on to bowl but leaked runs in a wicket-free spell.

Woakes was the game-changer again, having Dhawan caught at slip for 35, trapping Rahul lbw for 23 and tempting Cheteshwar Pujara (14) into a hook on the stroke of lunch which went straight into the hands of Adil Rashid on the boundary.

Captain Virat Kohli, at the other end, was doubtless unimpressed as he faced the prospect of having to bail out a sinking ship again with Woakes having taken 3-18 off 6.4 overs.

The tourists also gave a test debut to 20-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who came in for Dinesh Karthik.