Posted by India‘s Jasprit Bumrah produced a bowling masterclass with the old ball on Day 2 of the second Test against England in Vizag, ripping through the visitors’ batting order to skittle them out for 253 and handing his team a crucial 171-run lead.
Bumrah‘s sensational spell of 6/45, his best in Tests on home soil, came after England had started well thanks to Zak Crawley‘s quickfire 76. But the Indian pacer turned the tide with his devastating reverse swing, dismissing key batsmen like Joe Root, Ollie Pope, and Jonny Bairstow.
Earlier, India had been bowled out for 396, despite Yashasvi Jaiswal‘s maiden Test double century (209). James Anderson‘s masterful spell with the second new ball helped restrict the hosts’ total.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of Day 2’s action:
England‘s shaky start:
- Openers Crawley and Ben Duckett put on a 59-run stand before Kuldeep Yadav trapped Duckett LBW.
- Crawley went on the offensive, hitting a fifty before miscuing an Axar Patel delivery and falling for 76.
Bumrah‘s magic with the old ball:
- The pacer bamboozled Joe Root with a sharp inswinger, then yorked the in-form Ollie Pope, triggering a collapse.
- Bairstow and Stokes offered brief resistance, but Bumrah returned after the break to dismiss Bairstow and claim another two wickets through Kuldeep Yadav‘s spin.
- Ben Stokes and Tom Hartley counterattacked the spinners, but Bumrah had the final say, dismissing both and wrapping up the innings for 253.
India‘s batting woes:
- Jaiswal‘s double century was the highlight, but Anderson‘s impressive bowling restricted India‘s total.
- Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Bashir chipped away at the tail, bowling India out for 396.
India in control:
- With a massive lead in hand, India ended the day at 28/0, needing just 144 runs to secure a dominant position in the Test.
Key takeaways:
- Bumrah‘s exceptional bowling was the match-defining moment, putting India firmly in control.
- England‘s batting order, despite Crawley‘s knock, crumbled under Bumrah‘s pressure.
- India will look to build on their lead and put themselves in a strong position to win the Test.