The second day of the Vizag Test match between India and England saw Indian spinners returning to the game with indisputable control causing maximum damage as by the end of the 2nd day, England team was restricted to a total of 103 with the loss of 5 important wickets. The visitors are trailing by 352 runs after India ended their innings with a huge score of 455 runs.
The first session gave England many reasons to cheer as they took three wickets in that session but the biggest joy came in the second session when Moeen Ali claimed Virat Kohli’s (167) wicket. The breakthrough also had a positive side for the Indian Team as it proved that the pitch had something to offer to the Indian spinners.
Ravichandran Ashwin (58) and Jayant Yadav (35) also contributed some important runs that that took India’s first innings total to 455 runs.
It was England’s turn to answer the huge 455 runs trail and after seeing them in the 1st test match, everybody thought that the visitors still have a chance to come back in the game.
Alastair Cook and Haseeb Hameed started a calm innings but what Mohammed Shami did to Alastair Cook, should definitely have sent chills down the spine of England’s batsmen.
Shami was bowling a very fine line which made both the batsmen struggled to even defend their stand and on a full length ball, Shami claimed the wicket of Alastair Cook, and what a delivery it was!! The ball went through the batsman’s legs and ripped apart the stumps. The ball was a great example of controlled line and length.
See the video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IBvso_BEf0
After the captain’s early dismissal, visitors took a step backwards and tried to remain on the pitch for as long as possible, but now it was the turn of Indian spinners to show what they can do on a turning pitch.
Only Joe Root was able to register a 50+ innings and the rest of the batting line up went before even touching the 15 runs mark.
Ashwin was able to gift the team a much needed breakthrough by taking Joe Root (53) and took another wicket of Ben Duckett (5). The debutant, Jayant Yadav claimed Moeen Ali’s (5) wicket and cemented his team’s standings in the match.
England went to a total of 103 runs with the loss of five wickets with Ben Stokes (12*) and Jonny Bairstow (12*) still at the crease.
There is nothing much left for the third day and all we have to see is, how many runs the England’s remaining line up can wipe out from the remaining trail of 352 runs.
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18 November 2016
Rohan Jaitly