The second day of the ongoing fourth match of the five-Test series between India and England saw the game reach a thrilling juncture. England finished the day with 225 runs for the loss of two wickets in their first innings.
Sports News: Day two of the fourth Test between India and England, part of the five-match series, was filled with excitement. At Old Trafford in Manchester, an injured Rishabh Pant showed remarkable resilience, scoring a half-century, while England's Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett put up a b batting performance against India, placing their team in a commanding position.
India's First Innings Ends at 358
The second day's play commenced with India's score at 264/4. Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur were at the crease, but England's Jofra Archer struck an early blow to India in the first session. Jadeja could only add one run to his score before being dismissed for 20. Subsequently, Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur forged a crucial 48-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
Shardul Thakur was dismissed by Ben Stokes for 41 off 88 balls, hitting three fours and a six. Following his dismissal, the player every Indian fan was waiting for entered the field—the injured Rishabh Pant. After retiring hurt on the first day due to a thumb injury sustained while attempting a reverse sweep, Pant returned on the second day, displaying exceptional determination despite the pain.
Pant Scores Half-Century Despite Injury
Rishabh Pant immediately adopted an aggressive approach, completing his 18th Test half-century in 71 balls. He played a valuable innings of 54 runs off 75 balls, with the help of 3 fours and 2 sixes. Pant's innings not only won the hearts of the spectators but also played a significant role in guiding India to a respectable score.
India's innings concluded at 358 runs. Anshul Kamboj was dismissed without scoring, while Bumrah scored 4 and Mohammed Siraj remained unbeaten on 5. For England, Ben Stokes was the most successful bowler, taking 5 wickets, while Jofra Archer took 3 wickets, and Chris Woakes and Liam Dawson claimed 1 wicket each.
Crawley and Duckett Give England a Strong Start
In response to 358 runs, England had an extremely aggressive and impressive start. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett formed a 166-run partnership for the first wicket, pushing India completely onto the back foot. Both batsmen scored runs at a rapid pace and gave the Indian bowlers no opportunities. Ravindra Jadeja broke the dangerous partnership, sending Crawley back to the pavilion for 84.
He faced 113 balls in his innings, hitting 13 fours and 1 six. On the other hand, Ben Duckett fell just 6 runs short of scoring a century in his Test career. He was clean bowled by debutant Anshul Kamboj, giving India some relief. Duckett scored 94 runs with the help of 13 fours.
Pope and Root Remain at the Crease
At the end of the day's play, England had scored 225 runs for the loss of two wickets and is still 133 runs behind India. Ollie Pope is at the crease on 20 off 42 balls, and Joe Root is on 11 off 27 balls. England's batting lineup still has depth, and if India wants to gain a lead, they will have to take early wickets at the start of the third day.
The second day was comparatively tough for the Indian bowlers. They didn't get much assistance even with the new ball, and both openers scored runs quickly. Ravindra Jadeja took 1 wicket, giving India the first breakthrough, while young fast bowler Anshul Kamboj impressed by taking an important wicket in his first Test. Bumrah and Siraj have not taken any wickets so far.
