Indian tail frustrate England and puts India in a commanding position.
India recovered from post lunch collapse thanks to 111 run partnership for the tenth wicket between Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. India seemed to have lost their advantage in the match when 4 wickets fell quickly after lunch. But thanks to Kumar and Shami who rescued the Indian team by scoring their maiden fifties in Test cricket and helped India to post a respectable score of 457 in their first innings. Shami impressed with ball early on by dismissing Cook cheaply in the 4th over of England's innings. Robson and Ballance guided England to 43 with the loss of one wicket at stumps.
India resumed their innings from first day's score of 259/4 and had almost lost their skipper in the 13th ball of the day. Dhoni played a loose shot off Broad early in the session and nicked the ball but Prior was unable to grab the early chance. Vijay and Dhoni continued to extend the lead before Vijay was dismissed by Anderson. Vijay played a good innings but had gotten out to a bad decision by the umpire. Anderson angled the ball towards Vijay and it struck him in thigh pad. Oxenford raised his fingers after some thought but Hawk-Eye suggested it was going over the stumps. By the time Vijay got out India reached the 300 mark which they were able to achieve only once in 2011 tour to England. Jadeja joined Dhoni and they together put up an unbroken 38 run stand before lunch. Jadeja attacked Moeen Ali and displaced him for two sixes in an over and was unbeaten on 24 at lunch. Indians reached 342-5 at lunch after Vijay's dismissal on 146. Dhoni had reached 80 by lunch and was eyeing a ton after Prior dropped the one handed catch early in the day.
Indians lost 4 wickets in quick succession in the post lunch session.
India who were 342-5 at lunch were struggling at 346-9, five overs later. Jadeja was the first one to be dismissed after lunch. Ben Stokes provided the breakthrough when Jadeja tried to rush a shot over covers but got a thick edge and Prior grabbed the ball. Dhoni got out on 82 thanks to a brilliant direct hit by Anderson who was at mid-off. Dhoni tried to get a risky single by pushing the ball softly to mid-off, but Anderson was quick enough to gather the ball and effect a direct hit to dismiss the Indian skipper. Binny got out three balls later by playing a needless shot straight to the hands of Root at point. Ishant Sharma got out in the next over when he shouldered arms to a straight delivery from Broad which clipped his off-stump. It seemed that Indian innings were coming to an end but thanks to Kumar and Shami's unbroken partnership of 87 at tea helped India to go past 400. Kumar started the partnership and Shami joined him by playing some cultured shots. Some runs were expected from Kumar who has scored a first class century but Shami whose batting average before this match was 3.33 surprised everyone. Shami played some beautiful strokes and almost nicked one in the penultimate over before tea. As India had lost 9 wickets England were forced to take 30 minute extension but they were unable to take the final wicket. By tea Shami was unbeaten on 39 while Kumar got to 46. The 87 run partnership for the 10th wicket was the highest by an Indian pair against England in Test cricket. India reached 433-9 at tea.
Kumar reached his maiden Test fifty after tea followed by Shami who got his fifty the very next ball by hitting a straight six off Anderson. The two put up 111 run partnership for the 10th wicket before Kumar got out to Ali while trying to go for a big one. India were bundled out for 457 with Kumar dismissed on 58 while Shami was unbeaten on 51. Cook and Robson opened the innings for England. Things got even worse for England when Cook got out in the 4th over of the match. Shami provided the early breakthrough for India when Cook opened his leg stump when attempting a flick but the ball nicked the pads and went on to hit the stumps. Cook got out on 5 and extended his run without a century to 25 innings. England were 9/1 when Ballance came on to join Robson in the middle. England were able to end the day without losing any more wickets. Ballance and Robson put up an unbroken stand of 34 to bring England's score to 43/1 at the end of Day 2. Ballance was not out on 15 while Robson was on 20 at the end of second day's play.
India resumed their innings from first day's score of 259/4 and had almost lost their skipper in the 13th ball of the day. Dhoni played a loose shot off Broad early in the session and nicked the ball but Prior was unable to grab the early chance. Vijay and Dhoni continued to extend the lead before Vijay was dismissed by Anderson. Vijay played a good innings but had gotten out to a bad decision by the umpire. Anderson angled the ball towards Vijay and it struck him in thigh pad. Oxenford raised his fingers after some thought but Hawk-Eye suggested it was going over the stumps. By the time Vijay got out India reached the 300 mark which they were able to achieve only once in 2011 tour to England. Jadeja joined Dhoni and they together put up an unbroken 38 run stand before lunch. Jadeja attacked Moeen Ali and displaced him for two sixes in an over and was unbeaten on 24 at lunch. Indians reached 342-5 at lunch after Vijay's dismissal on 146. Dhoni had reached 80 by lunch and was eyeing a ton after Prior dropped the one handed catch early in the day.
Indians lost 4 wickets in quick succession in the post lunch session.
India who were 342-5 at lunch were struggling at 346-9, five overs later. Jadeja was the first one to be dismissed after lunch. Ben Stokes provided the breakthrough when Jadeja tried to rush a shot over covers but got a thick edge and Prior grabbed the ball. Dhoni got out on 82 thanks to a brilliant direct hit by Anderson who was at mid-off. Dhoni tried to get a risky single by pushing the ball softly to mid-off, but Anderson was quick enough to gather the ball and effect a direct hit to dismiss the Indian skipper. Binny got out three balls later by playing a needless shot straight to the hands of Root at point. Ishant Sharma got out in the next over when he shouldered arms to a straight delivery from Broad which clipped his off-stump. It seemed that Indian innings were coming to an end but thanks to Kumar and Shami's unbroken partnership of 87 at tea helped India to go past 400. Kumar started the partnership and Shami joined him by playing some cultured shots. Some runs were expected from Kumar who has scored a first class century but Shami whose batting average before this match was 3.33 surprised everyone. Shami played some beautiful strokes and almost nicked one in the penultimate over before tea. As India had lost 9 wickets England were forced to take 30 minute extension but they were unable to take the final wicket. By tea Shami was unbeaten on 39 while Kumar got to 46. The 87 run partnership for the 10th wicket was the highest by an Indian pair against England in Test cricket. India reached 433-9 at tea.
Kumar reached his maiden Test fifty after tea followed by Shami who got his fifty the very next ball by hitting a straight six off Anderson. The two put up 111 run partnership for the 10th wicket before Kumar got out to Ali while trying to go for a big one. India were bundled out for 457 with Kumar dismissed on 58 while Shami was unbeaten on 51. Cook and Robson opened the innings for England. Things got even worse for England when Cook got out in the 4th over of the match. Shami provided the early breakthrough for India when Cook opened his leg stump when attempting a flick but the ball nicked the pads and went on to hit the stumps. Cook got out on 5 and extended his run without a century to 25 innings. England were 9/1 when Ballance came on to join Robson in the middle. England were able to end the day without losing any more wickets. Ballance and Robson put up an unbroken stand of 34 to bring England's score to 43/1 at the end of Day 2. Ballance was not out on 15 while Robson was on 20 at the end of second day's play.
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