Rashid: 'I've been told to be aggressive'

The leg-spinner had to wait until the 40th over to get a bowl, having not batted, bowled or taken a catch in the previous Test at Lord's, and was promptly carted for 10 runs by Kohli.

Rashid finished his first spell with figures of 0/29 off five overs and looked short on confidence. However, he returned late in the day to dismiss Kohli three short of his century – only the second time he had been dismissed in the nineties during his Test career – as India eventually reached 307/6 at stumps after an enthralling day's play.

"It was definitely a nervy start, I needed a few overs just to get into it," said Rashid.

"I was looking to bowl wicket-to-wicket," he said of the ball that dismissed Kohli, "just trying to keep it nice and tight and mix my pace up. Fortunately for me that one was a bit slower and in the driving range and he just nicked it, so it's natural variation."

Rashid said the the speed of his bowling is key and he has been given instructions to look for wickets, even if that means conceding runs in the process.

"Usually when I am in rhythm I am around that 50mph mark, giving it a chance to spin. But sometimes you don't feel great and it doesn't come out the hand right so you have to find a Plan B.

"Whatever I did in the one-dayers and the T20s, that's what I've been told to do – to just go out there and be aggressive and look to create chances, try to get wickets. That's my role. They've not told me to go at under threes or twos or anything, I need to create some chances and if I get hit for a few it doesn't matter, so it's a nice place to be."

Ajinkya Rahane, who scored 81 and shared a stand of 159 with Kohli before falling to a stunning catch by Alastair Cook at first slip, was pleased with India's batting effort after a difficult time so far in the series.

"I think it's a good score," he said. "Intent was important on this wicket. We were thinking if we get a good start we could get good runs. Our focus for me and Virat was to rotate strike and occupy the crease.

"We were looking to bat here well, our intent was always positive and we got the right balance. The more confident in your mind you are, you will be better off. It doesn't matter what form you are in, it's the right frame of mind out there that can help you."