Ben Stokes put in a mighty shift but Rishabh Pant’s remarkable century and the folly of England’s imbalanced attack left India in control
Ali Martin on Rishabh Pant’s swashbuckling century…
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Rishabh Pant is giving an interview. He is, understandably, not quite as good at doing the talking as his bat is. “I thought after assessing the pitch,” he says, “I would play my shots. Sometimes you have to respect the bowler, and the ball – get a bad ball, look for a single.” A Freudian slip there: by “bad ball”, he meant “good ball”, but when you play as well as he did today, there’s not much difference between the two. Thanks for your company and your correspondence, and we’ll be back at 4am tomorrow to witness England’s heroic fightback.
“I’m amazed,” says Colin McBride,“that with all the rotation this winter Woakes hasn’t played a Test. Even if conditions prevented him overly contributing with the ball, there is a chance he’d still offer runs.” Yes, it feels as if Root and Silverwood got that one wrong.
India lead by 89.“I wonder what the odds are on an Indian victory without the need to bat again?” wonders Nicholas Butt. “Would only be just desserts for this sorry Ingerlund side.” That’s pudding it a bit unkindly.
“Credit due to Vic Marks,” says Ewan Glenton. For being a reliable off-spinner on a dustbowl? No. “In his Guardian report the day Pant made his debut (v England, Trent Bridge, 18 August 2018), Vic wrote ‘...a cameo at the end from India’s debutant, Rishabh Pant. He was only 22 not out at the close but I have a hunch this might have been an “I was there” moment.’ I thought that’s a big statement, I’ll make a note of the name and let’s see if he’s right.” Good spot! And as for those double quotes within single quotes within double quotes, well, top Marks.
94th over: India 294-7 (Sundar 60, Patel 11) A maiden from Leach, and that’s stumps. Since tea, India have made 141 for one. This looks like being that rare thing – a Test match won, with the bat, in one session. Rishabh Pant, who had hitherto specialised in nerveless 90s, made a magnificent hundred, lighting up the day with his audacity. He was ably supported by Washington Sundar, India’s fifth bowler – and they made sure that England’s punt on four bowlers, always a gamble, has begun to resemble a calamity.
93rd over: India 294-7 (Sundar 60, Patel 11) Bess, boosted by that maiden, bowls a beauty to Sundar and beats the outside edge. Foakes whips off the bails but Sundar’s back foot is well in. And then Bess even gets the umpire to raise his finger, for LBW against Sundar – but India review and there was an inside edge, so Bess’s tough day at the office continues.
92nd over: India 292-7 (Sundar 58, Patel 11) Tidy from Leach, conceding two.
Raj is so excited by Pant’s hundred that he has stopped thinking about the umpires. “Wicketkeepers with Test hundreds in England, Australia and India,” he begins. “Adam Gilchrist, Rishabh Pant. That’s it. That’s the list.”
91st over: India 290-7 (Sundar 57, Patel 10) Bess, in a funny way, also has nothing to lose: he can use these overs to go in search of his consistency. And he bowls a maiden! To Sundar, with not a single full toss. He certainly has the personality to recover from this.
90th over: India 290-7 (Sundar 57, Patel 10) Axar swings a length ball from Leach for four. There’s nothing to lose for India now: they lead by 85, in a situation where every run is worth two.
“I’ve been overly critical of Root’s captaincy in the past, so perhaps I should know better by now,” says Felix Wood, “but I’m baffled with how he’s approached the afternoon session. Bess really released significant pressure on India at a crucial time. Bowling Stokes for two over before the new ball when he’s so obviously knackered rather than saving him for the new ball was an odd choice. Keeping him on when he was being tonked also feels a bit like an inability to say no. I have (some) sympathy with him with Bess – 12 overs from your frontline spinner is a disaster – but the rest speaks to drift. On the other hand, cricket is such tiny margins – if the onfield Pant decision before tea had been out then I’d probably be applauding his genius.”
89th over: India 281-7 (Sundar 56, Patel 6) Stokes has to have a rest, before his match-winning 150 tomorrow, so Root resorts to Bess. He produces yet another full toss, which is thwacked back past him by Sundar. That was almost a catch.
Here’s Raj in Edinburgh, in his capacity as our umpiring correspondent. “Just to say that it is worth repeating that the on-field umpiring through this series, and esp. in this match, has been outstanding, even more so when you consider the testing conditions. Nitin Menon, who like his father Narendra Menon, played first-class cricket as a right-hand batsman for Madhya Pradesh, has had a particularly good series.” He has. “While we’re at it, it’s best that we draw a discreet veil over Chettithody Shamshuddin who’s hopefully having lessons on logic, time, and causality. Perhaps via a special showing of Tenet.
88th over: India 276-7 (Sundar 51, Patel 6) Root may well be thinking, “My kingdom for a maiden.” So he summons Leach, who provides one.
87th over: India 276-7 (Sundar 51, Patel 6) Hang on, Stokes is coming back. He’s like one of those extreme distance runners who don’t feel a marathon is enough. In this heat, he’s also a glutton for punishment, and Sundar is quite prepared to impose it. He cuts for four, then glides for two to reach a fine fifty off 96 balls with seven fours. The straight man is now coming out with some witty one-liners.
“Washington Sundar isn’t supposed to bat,” says Abhijato Sensarma. “He broke through the ranks at the IPL a few years ago, and bowled such immaculate lines and lengths that even my purist father was attracted to his Test match-like bowling. My dad concluded on watching a white-ball game in 2017 that Sundar is going to grow up to become a great Test spinner, even though I doubted this very much. Look at him now. No, he isn’t supposed to bat.” I thought he was a batsman for the Under-19s?
86th over: India 268-7 (Sundar 44, Patel 5) Root, who must be almost as weary as Stokes, dishes up a rare long hop, this is pulled for four by Axar Patel. The six overs with the new ball have brought 45 runs – though England did get their man.
Meanwhile Brian Withington is back for more on Tenet. “I was going to say to Paul Billington in my defence against his (retracted) feint of an accusation, that he only thinks he hasn’t seen the film yet, but who really knows?” Ha. “However, if he wants a proper ‘spoiler alert’, he may wish to avert his gaze from England’s second innings some time tomorrow.”
85th over: India 264-7 (Sundar 44, Patel 1) Washington Sundar, untroubled by losing his pal, stands tall and drives Anderson, on the up, for another four. England need to get Leach back on sharpish.
Gone! Intoxicated by his own excellence, Pant gets a toe-end on a pull and gives a simple catch to Root at midwicket. That’s a measure of revenge for Jimmy for the insult of that reverse lap, but Pant has bent this match to his will and taken India into a priceless lead of 50.
84th over: India 259-6 (Pant 101, Sundar 40) Batting at six, Pant allows India to pick five frontline bowlers, and he is making England pay a high price for picking only four. The reverse lap, by the way, brought up the hundred partnership.
Joe Root turns, in desperation, to himself, and Rishabh Pant slog-sweeps his first ball for six, to reach 100 off only 115 balls. This has been one of the great Test innings, starting punchy, then settling down (remember that, Sunny?), and then moving into a calculated assault, with the last 50 coming at T20 tempo, off just 33 balls. He’s only 23, and he has given a masterclass.
83rd over: India 252-6 (Pant 94, Sundar 38) After four fours off two overs of the new ball, is Pant going to calm down? He is not. He greets the first ball of this over from Anderson with a reverse lap for four that sails over the slips. That is phenomenal – one of the most audacious shots you will ever see. “Settle down, young man,” says Sunil Gavaskar, missing the point by some distance.
82nd over: India 245-6 (Pant 89, Sundar 38) They’re piling into Stokes too. Pant whips him for four from outside off and then Sundar, seizing on the short ball, forces for four and flashes for four more. The lead is 40 and England are on the point of a collapse in the field, never mind the batting.
“As far as names go,” says Thomas Meehan, “I particularly like Pant, and Washington Sundar, but my favourite is Babar Azam, backed by the Beach Boys.”
81st over: India 232-6 (Pant 84, Sundar 30) England have to take the new ball, and they do. In runs Anderson – and Pant takes him on! He charges the first ball, spanking it back past the bowler, and smacks the second through the covers. At the start of this innings, Anderson conceded three runs in ten overs; now he’s gone for eight off two balls. But he does fight back, beating Pant with a beauty that lifts and leaves him. Old dog, young pup, good contest.
80th over: India 223-6 (Pant 75, Sundar 30) Just because he’s knackered, doesn’t mean Stokes will take a breather. Before drinks, he had his own private supply of some energy drink, to go with his own private supply of energy, and now here he is again, digging it in. But when he pitches it up, Sundar punches down the ground for four. And it was Sundar who got Stokes out yesterday, when he was threatening to drag England to respectability.
79th over: India 217-6 (Pant 74, Sundar 25) Pant, sweeping, edges Root – and picks up another four as his top edge loops high over Stokes’s shoulder at slip. He follows it with a proper sweep, crisply struck. His strike rate with the sweep in Tests, says a caption, is 246. Then he misses one and England review for leg-before, but it’s just doing too much as it goes on with the arm. And that’s drinks with India now well on top. England are just praying that Anderson can get rid of Pant with the new ball.
78th over: India 209-6 (Pant 66, Sundar 25) Two good shots from parity? Sometimes a bad shot will do just as well. Pant slashes at Stokes and gets four as the ball just misses the top corner of the net at second slip. And then he does play a good shot, seeing the short ball so early that his pull goes in front of square. With the scores level, he shovels two more through the off side, plus a single to midwicket. To cap it all, Stokes bowls a beamer at Sundar. He looks knackered, as well he may be in 41-degree heat. Root may have to give the new ball to Leach. “Pant’s playing a match-winning innings here,” says Graeme Swann. “Imagine the Indian spinners on this deck, coming in fresh, could be lethal.”
77th over: India 197-6 (Pant 55, Sundar 25) Root, bowling to Sundar, finally has a maiden to show for his steadiness. He has figures of 11-1-27-0: none of the magic of the other day, but a decent job for the team.
“Morning Tim,” says Paul Billington. “I was about to accuse Brian Withington [74th over] of not issuing a spoiler alert for anyone who hadn’t seen that film - but having re-read that paragraph six times I can safely say I’m still none the wiser. Well done.” Ha. There seem to be plenty of people who can say the same after seeing Tenet.
76th over: India 197-6 (Pant 55, Sundar 25) Root proves the point about the third seamer by sending for Stokes ahead of the new ball. Well, Stokes does like a long spell. He starts purposefully, conceding only a single, but India are only a couple of good shots from parity.
“‘Trying to bore Pant out,’” says Colum Farrelly, musing on my remark from the 73rd over. “There’s a bad pun relating to boring the pants off someone in there, but I can’t quite find it.” Damn, I let that one slip through my fingers. “Meanwhile, isn’t the ebb and flow of a Test match just marvellous?” It is.
75th over: India 196-6 (Pant 55, Sundar 24) Sundar eases Root into the covers for a single and that’s the fifty partnership off 100 balls. It may not seem much to shout about, but it’s the first fifty partnership of the match, so it’s worth a hundred in a more typical Test.
74th over: India 195-6 (Pant 55, Sundar 23) Pant, who has mostly been restraining himself, celebrates his fifty with a swing for four off Leach. He may be thinking of finishing this series as he started it, by ordering Leach on toast.
“Anyone for Tenet?” asks Brian Withington. “Just reflecting on the concern that England have successfully picked a team for the previous Test match (again). We clearly need to be employing some sort of Tenet-style ‘temporal pincer’ attack on this Indian team in order to firm up our tactics and selection in a more timely manner. (I think that was the thrust of the film.) Presumably the ODI ‘blue team’ could operate in reverse batting order or some such. Just a thought.”
73rd over: India 188-6 (Pant 50, Sundar 21) If England had a third seamer, he’d be on now, looking for reverse swing, or at least bowling dry, trying to bore Pant out. As it is, the spinners are going to have to stay on till the new ball in seven overs’ time. India, only 17 behind now, are threatening to take control.
72nd over: India 187-6 (Pant 50, Sundar 20) Pant plays a studious push to long-on and that’s his fifty, off 82 balls, with four fours and a six. He has saved India from the sort of collapse they produced in the previous Test. And he is now, with Rohit, one of only two batsmen in the series to average 50.
71st over: India 185-6 (Pant 49, Sundar 19) Root, growing in confidence, is slipping in some seam-up deliveries. Sundar is equal to them, clipping a couple of twos, but then he misses a straight one, which strikes his elbow, and England don’t review. Rightly, as it was going over the top of middle.
70th over: India 181-6 (Pant 49, Sundar 15) A bit of milking of Leach, who would love to have a right-hander to torment.
69th over: India 177-6 (Pant 48, Sundar 13) Root continues and concedes just two. He was hit for six early on today by Pant, but hasn’t gone for a single four in his seven overs – a walking reproach to poor old Bess. “Anyone else get the feeling,” wonders Kevin Wilson, “that in five years Bess will be a handy county number six and an occasional off-spinner?”
And now the T20 reports are coming like London buses. Australia’s men have beaten NZ to take that series to 2-2 with one to play, just as it should be.
68th over: India 175-6 (Pant 47, Sundar 12) With India only 33 behind, Root decides that Bess’s full tosses are a luxury he can’t afford. Back comes Leach, bearing a good length, but the batsmen still help themselves to three singles, so the deficit is 30.
Meanwhile, in New Zealand, England have wrapped up the women’s T20 series.
67th over: India 172-6 (Pant 45, Sundar 11) Root restores order again.
66th over: India 171-6 (Pant 44, Sundar 11) Bess again begins his over with a full toss, although he gets away with it this time as Pant clips for a single. A second full toss almost brings a run-out as Pant, sent back to the bowler’s end by Sundar, dives to make his ground and ends up being hit on the shoulder by the shy from Dan Lawrence. A better ball from Bess, on the spot outside off, is chipped by Sundar, perilously close to the man at short extra, but it goes for four. Bess now has none for 49 off 12, and Joe Root has a dilemma about whether to bring back Anderson or Leach.
65th over: India 166-6 (Pant 43, Sundar 7) Root is showing why he was preferred to Bess for the last Test: he’s more consistent. He beats Sundar with a beauty, dipping and turning.
64th over: India 165-6 (Pant 42, Sundar 7) Graeme Swann, England’s best off-spinner of the past 50 years, is in the commentary box, licking his lips as Bess prepares to bowl, saying this is going to be a big hour. Whereupon Bess starts with a full toss on leg stump, duly despatched by Sundar. Another ball is the opposite, far too short, and Pant cuts it for four. Without batting all that well, India have managed to add a few with every partnership since Kohli was out, whereas England – as ever – lost wickets in batches.
63rd over: India 155-6 (Pant 37, Sundar 2) Root has a shout for leg-before against Sundar, but doesn’t review it, wisely, as there was an inside edge.
Warning: this post contains some fruity language.“F***ING DRS,” says Mark from Seattle. “How is 49% of the ball crashing into middle stump with contact on the back leg about six inches from impact not out, and you can dance half way down the wicket and if the missile tracking thinks 51% off the ball is hitting you’re out. One is far more certain than the other.” True.
A question from Em Jackson.“How long can England rely on a 38-year-old to get their batters out of jail? That’s the 64,000-wicket question... which Anderson is scheduled to get some time around 2275 on an England tour to Venus.” Ha. Did you see that photo of him bowling yesterday? He was flying. If you didn’t see the photo, go here and scroll down, and you can enjoy Andy Bull’s first-day report at the same time.
“Guilty confession,” says Sumit Rahman. “Every time – EVERY TIME – I read the name Washington Sundar, in my head I hear it to the tune of Buffalo Soldier. It’s slowing down my reading speed quite badly.” There’s always time for a good tune.
A word about Rohit Sharma, who is having a hell of a series. Today, for the third Test running, he was the main man in India’s top order, but in a quite different mode from his breezy 161 at Chennai. Rohit is now the leading run-scorer on either side, with 345 – seven runs more than Joe Root and twice as many as Virat Kohli (172). If India win the series, it will be down to Rohit as much as Ashwin and Axar.
An email from Nick, picking up on CricViz and that 29 per cent (59th over). “England’s chances of a win, as calculated by NicViz, are now 0 per cent, because they still can’t bat.” Harsh, but funny.
62nd over: India 153-6 (Pant 36, Sundar 1) Bess, buoyed by his moral victory, bowls a real snorter to Sundar, looping, dipping, biting, the lot – apart from taking the edge. And that’s tea, with India making 73 for two in the session, about half of them to the dangerous Pant. England have hung in there, mainly thanks to Anderson and Stokes, who have four for 52 between them off 34 overs. Leach has been good too, if not lethal like Axar Patel. The balance is still beautiful: this Test is very much my cup of tea.
Bess raps Pant on the inside of the back thigh as he plays across the line. It’s too high for the umpire to raise the finger, but England have plenty of reviews to play with... It’s straightening nicely, hitting the top of middle-and-leg, but umpire’s call! That could be a pivotal moment.
61st over: India 152-6 (Pant 35, Sundar 1) Now Root brings himself back, so it’s a double change and off-spin from both ends. Not sure about that – Leach had found a good rhythm. Root’s first ball turns handsomely but Pant carries on accumulating. He and Rahane have been the only batsmen to manage a high tempo.
60th over: India 149-6 (Pant 32, Sundar 1) As Sundar is a left-hander like Pant, Root brings back Dom Bess, to turn the ball away from the bat. And he does so, bowling two good deliveries, and just as importantly, no bad ones. Still no maiden though, as each batsman takes a single.
“This is all much more encouraging than I was expecting when I got up,” says Andrew Cosgrove. I second that emotion. “In the 57th over, you describe Pope as the specialist short leg who sometimes makes 20. Hey, don’t knock it, that’s how Ian Bell started in the 2005 Ashes.” Ha. “Maybe Pope really is hs reincarnation. Is there some sort of karma in how specialist short leg Pope got out unluckily to a catch at short leg?”
59th over: India 146-6 (Pant 30, Sundar 0) Out comes Washington Sundar, a very classy No.8. He looks eager to get after Leach but he can’t, and that’s a wicket maiden. England’s chances of a win, as calculated by CricViz, are now 29 per cent.
Another one! Ashwin gets a ball that stops in the pitch and chips it to short midwicket – where Pope, who is indeed short, leaps to take the catch.
58th over: India 146-5 (Pant 30, Ashwin 13) It’s still Stokes, pink-faced, red-haired, big-hearted. And England again come close to removing Pant as Ashwin takes a quick single and Jonny Bairstow, racing in from square leg, hits the only stump he can see.
57th over: India 145-5 (Pant 30, Ashwin 12) Leach drops short – a mirror image of the ball that flummoxed Ashwin – and Pant latches onto it with a superb cut for four. Next ball, though, Pant clips off his pad and Ollie Pope almost takes a wonder catch. On this tour, Pope has been a specialist short leg who sometimes makes 20.
56th over: India 139-5 (Pant 25, Ashwin 11) Stokes, still banging it in at Ashwin, could do with a short leg, but Root doesn’t feel that he has enough runs to play with. Could be a false economy.
Here, on a different note, is Kim Thonger. “We moved to the farthest northeast corner of Northamptonshire this week,” he begins. I wasn’t expecting Northamptonshire there. “I woke very early today, before the cricket started, and idly perused the village historical society website. And found a cricket section. Do read the last sentence, it’s a beaut.” So I did. “May 18th 1912, Colleyweston v Fineshade played at Colleyweston. Colleyweston won by 50 runs... The scorebook also records that the Umpire, L Hill, had his nose broken during the game (how it happened is not recorded).”
55th over: India 138-5 (Pant 24, Ashwin 11) Pant vs. Leach has been good viewing ever since one of them began the series by mauling the other. Pant comes down the track but can’t go through with the big hit, and then he inside-edges as the ball turns out of the rough and very nearly gives a catch to Foakes. Don’t you love a low-scoring Test?
54th over: India 135-5 (Pant 23, Ashwin 11) The ball after his narrow escape, Ashwin wafts outside off and gives a quarter-chance to gully, who barely moves and may be standing too close. Stokes is doing so well here as the second seamer. In 32 overs, he and Anderson have taken four for 50, while the spinners, in 22 overs, have one for 78. Root may be wondering whether to use Zak Crawley, who was a seamer as a child and certainly has the physique for it.
Nothing on Ultra Edge, until the ball hit Ashwin’s shoulder. Good ball though.
A bouncer from Stokes, an unhappy fend, the finger goes up but Ashwin reviews straight away.
53rd over: India 130-5 (Pant 22, Ashwin 7) Root takes himself off, suggesting that Bess is not the only off-spinner in whom he lacks faith. Back comes Leach, and he’s on the spot with a maiden – the one bad ball, short outside off, persuaded Ashwin to play and miss.
“Seam doing well today,” says Felix Wood. “Probably no need for the extra spinner. Have England once again picked the team for the last Test not the current one?” Yes, one step behind. Olly Stone would have been a handful on this surface.
52nd over: India 130-5 (Pant 22, Ashwin 7) Stokes, who has been himself again in this match, dishes up a rare freebie – a low full toss, which Ashwin gratefully pushes to the cover boundary. Then there’s a short ball, fended off, which leaves Ashwin getting sprayed by the physio for a bruised finger on his bowling hand.
51st over: India 124-5 (Pant 21, Ashwin 2) Root continues, and finds some turn to draw a thick edge from Pant. Then he finds no turn, Axar-style, and draws a thick edge from Ashwin, who gets off the mark with two to third man. It’s said that captains either over- or underbowl themselves. Root has done both in quick succession: he has underbowled himself today, as he did in the last Test until that magic spell – whereupon he overbowled himself, taking the new ball in the second innings when Anderson might have had a couple of wickets in him. But he has certainly handled the other bowlers well today.
Thanks Adam and morning everyone. After that wicket, this match could not be better poised.
Umpire’s call on impact and contact but that’s enough to uphold the decision! Ben Stokes does it again! And it’s the dangerman Rohit, at the crucial moment for England - just when the pressure was transferring back onto the visitors. A big moment in this Test Match, make no mistake. And on that note, with drinks taken, over to Tim de Lisle to take you through to the close. Thanks for your company!
50th over: India 121-5 (Pant 20)
IS ROHIT LBW TO STOKES ON 49? He’s given! He reviews! Stand by!
49th over: India 121-4 (Rohit 49, Pant 20) Root pulls the ripcord: he’s replaced Bess with himself. But just as it was with Bess, they aren’t going to let him find any rhythm: Pant leans into a full-blooded reverse sweep, stopped by Crawley with big dive on the point rope. Next comes the dance, over long-off for SIX! This is Pant at his very best, taking the attack to finger spinners. To him, trusting his eye and hitting through the line is no riskier than playing a forward defense. The best of short-form cricket on show in the Test arena. Suddenly, with 41 runs added in 67 balls between this pair, the pressure transferring back onto England. The deficit is 84.
48th over: India 112-4 (Rohit 48, Pant 12) Pant goes at Anderson and gets four through cover for it but he wasn’t in control of the shot and it looks a fraction pre-meditated. But a good contest this, Jimmy mixing it up from around the wicket, Pant refusing to be cowed. Might they give him one more over? Turning into a long spell.
47th over: India 108-4 (Rohit 48, Pant 8) Maybe that’s the over Bess needed. Sure, three singles - not a lot of pressure. But he brings short leg into play for the first time with one that dips on Rohit. He has to find a way through or it’ll be back to Leach, or Root himself.
@collinsadam Swann and Root being very sympathetic to Bess here. But is now the time to try and bowl someone back into form? Or would they have been better off with Broad, Wood or even Virdi?
46th over: India 105-4 (Rohit 47, Pant 6) A very rare slip from Anderson, giving Rohit some width. It doesn’t get up but he’s seeing them well enough to adjust cut for four. Of course, the spearhead is right back where he needs to be for the rest of the set. I reckon it might be back to Stokes next up, who bowled so well before lunch.
“Morning,” tweets HotMilk, my brilliant local cafe here in Bounds Green - and, coincidentally, where Sadiq Khan launched his re-election campaign yesterday. “Good to have you back in town! Best part about this C4 coverage is that we can watch in bed in the morning. And because the TV is on in bed the kids are keen to watch the cricket. A lot of ‘what’s happening daddy?’” Love this.
45th over: India 101-4 (Rohit 43, Pant 6) Bess can’t settle, Rohit won’t allow it. Every time he overpitches, as he does again here to start, it’s going to the rope. The next ball spins down the legside and he lets out a gasp of frustration - he’s hurting out there; there’s nothing fun about this. Pant’s turn - a better match-up - and he lands the first, then the next. Better. Graeme Swann is talking about the expectations on the shoulders of any finger spinner in India as he finishes the over with Pant advancing and miscuing in the air, not far away from Anderson at extra cover. Okay, something to work from.
44th over: India 96-4 (Rohit 38, Pant 6) Taking a quick look out the window between overs - what a beautiful London morning, not a cloud in the sky. No clouds in Ahmedabad either, where Anderson has it on a string. Remember the garbage you’d read in the stranger corners of the web that he was only any good at home with thick clouds at Trent Bridge? Nah. Now to Pant, making him play in the channel for the first half of the over before the temper that did him in at Chennai on the final day (and Dickwella at Galle) - well ignored.
43rd over: India 96-4 (Rohit 38, Pant 6) Rohit does Bess a favour, pulling one to begin. It gives the off-spinner a chance at the left-handed Pant from around the wicket for the first time. In saying that, it only takes two deliveries for him to run down the pitch at him - there’s never any let off when the Indian ‘keeper is up against finger spin, ask Nathan Lyon. He turns the next ball into a full toss but doesn’t make good enough contact to beat the bowler. Nice delivery to finish but Pant is up to it, forcing a single to deep point.
42nd over: India 94-4 (Rohit 37, Pant 5) Edge, four! Anderson brings Pant forward from around the wicket and gets enough movement away but Pant plays it with soft hands - well handled in the end by the left-hander. Jimmy has two slips and a floater in the cordon, and they’re nearly serviced from the follow-up, beating the edge with one that takes off and moves. Beautiful shape to finish too.
41st over: India 90-4 (Rohit 37, Pant 1) No real loop from Bess. He’s giving it a rip, nothing wrong with that, but compare this flatter trajectory to Ashwin yesterday after tea. Okay, it’s not fair to contrast him to the greatest finger spinner of his generation (of my lifetime). But still, it stands out when they’re opposing numbers. Rohit takes advantage of another full toss; four more. Not great.
40th over: India 85-4 (Rohit 33, Pant 0) Jim to go again. A quick scan shows that he now has 988 First Class wickets. That’s exciting to me. Surely he’ll be the last man in the 1000 club for some time? For now, guess what? Another maiden to Rohit. His figures: 13-10-7-2 Rude.
“Morning Adam.” Morning to you, Colum Fordham. “Nice to have a bearer of good news in the form of your good self. England fans can hardly have slept soundly. Heard the sports bulletin on radio 4 after perusing the OBO sleepily and listened in horror as it reported that India were 62-3 after reading that Rahane had just been out to Anderson and India had slumped to 80-4. I will only follow the OBO from now on.” Slack given: it’s an early morning for everyone.
39th over: India 85-4 (Rohit 33, Pant 0) That’s not pretty from Bess, way down the legside at Rohit and too far gone for Foakes too - four byes. The opener keeps the strike with one down the ground. “India have three left handers,” notes Harsha. “Bess has a role to play.”
James Anderson in the opening session of Day 2:
2••••••1••••••••••••••••••••••••2••2••••W
Seven runs from 41 balls, and one wicket, with only four scoring shots off his bowling. Remarkable control from the veteran.#INDvENG
38th over: India 80-4 (Rohit 32, Pant 0) Pant leaves well alone. Right, back to Bess. Without wanting to overplay it, what a big session this might be in the context of his career. Needs to click.
The players are back on the field. Rishabh is the new man, with one ball to face in the successful and incomplete Anderson over. PLAY!
Good morning to England fans joining us. Your boys, I can report, did very nicely while you slept. They picked up three wickets, including Kohli for a duck, while conceding just 56 runs. Anderson finished the stanza in the best possible way, nicking off Rahane. India are 125 behind but while Rohit is there, there’ll be no panic for the hosts - he’s done everything right, unbeaten on 32.
And here’s something to wake you up. A big week for Maximo Park storming up the charts with their super new album. But at this time of day, let’s have one of their dancefloor fillers from yesteryear.
I’m going to grab a cuppa; suggest you do likewise. A top morning for England, who aren’t giving this trophy away without a fight. A reminder that Geoff Lemon is on the OBO for the other game, Australia are batting first in that T20i against New Zealand. And if you really like us in tandem, here’s our latest Final Word ep.
Related: New Zealand v Australia: fourth T20 international – live!
Credit to Dan Lawrence. Yes, Dan Lawrence. Just before that wicket, we got a look at him at mid-off, his shirt filthy as the designated ball manager. He’s done his job so well - the ball in such good nick - that Jimmy was able to keep it hooping into the final over of the session, enough to find Rahane’s edge. It’s a team game.
Brilliant from Anderson, finding Rahane’s outside edge with what becomes the final ball of the session, snaffled low by Stokes at second slip! Three wickets for the morning; honours to England.
37.5 overs: India 80-4 (Rohit 32)
37th over: India 80-3 (Rohit 32, Rahane 27) Rohit takes the single on offer behind square, which Bess probably won’t mind as it gives him a look at Rahane - the less set of the two men. A slip and short leg in position. He’s getting plenty of bounce, albeit without a lot of flight. Yikes, and now way too much flight - a full toss, put away through cover for four. Graeme Swann notes the pressure that will be on the shoulders of the young man this week - a talking point for lunch. Which won’t be now - there’s enough time for another from Jimmy.
36th over: India 74-3 (Rohit 31, Rahane 22) Jimmy is back and immediately beating Rahane with an absolute beauty. First ball, that’s a picture-perfect outswinger, doing everything other than kissing the outside edge. Late swing, too. The inducker follows, which Rahane turns behind square for a couple - good response. Of course, it was the Indian vice-captain Anderson did with a booming bit of reverse swing on the final day of the First Test, which feels like a long time ago. It doesn’t look to be reverse quite yet out there though, the swing more conventional based on the angle we’re seeing. He’s bringing Rahane forward a couple of times with pushes to cover before prompting a false stroke to finish, the inswinger nervously chipped over midwicket for two more. Very close to another for England. He should get one more in before lunch.
35th over: India 70-3 (Rohit 31, Rahane 18) Bess is on for his first over today and second of the innings. A clever and calculated response from Rohit, backing himself to bisect the fielders at deep backward square and cow corner and doing it well, a one-bounce four. Clever because it doesn’t allow Bess to settle into a groove before lunch.
34th over: India 66-3 (Rohit 27, Rahane 18) Rahane through the legside again, this time flicking Leach to midwicket for four. It’s not without risk against the spin, but he’s executed nicely. With those runs in the bank, the Indian vice-captain defends the rest happily.
Two OBOs! Geoff Lemon is on the other channel, watching the second T20i at Wellington between New Zealand and Australia.
Related: New Zealand v Australia: fourth T20 international – live!
33rd over: India 62-3 (Rohit 27, Rahane 14) It is Stokes and it’s full, which Rahane enjoys by leaning into a beautiful cover drive - back knee kissing the turf at the point of contact, the works. Ooh, but uncontrolled pull follows - he didn’t get much of that, in the air. He’s off strike from the penultimate ball, giving Stokes one more crack at Rohit with what could be his final ball of the marathon spell. He goes full, swinging at the stumps, the opener keeps it out and the England star makes a diving stop in his follow-through. He looks spent but what an important contribution he’s made this morning.
After 30 overs in this innings, India were 47-3.
That's their lowest score at this stage of a home innings this century.#INDvENG
32nd over: India 55-3 (Rohit 27, Rahane 7) Short from Leach, the first bad ball he has bowled this morning, and Rahane puts him away through midwicket - the fifth boundary of the Indian innings. He’s back to challenging Rohit on the front foot by the end of the over. Will Root keep going with Stokes? I hope so, this is quite the shift.
He doesn't suffer from a lack of praise, but Ben Stokes into his ninth over of a stinking hot morning beating *Rohit Sharma* with the short ball, is pretty cool
31st over: India 49-3 (Rohit 26, Rahane 2) Stokes keeps going and going, into over nine this morning. And he badges Rohit, the hook deflecting into the front of the opener’s helmet. Out come the medical staff for the formal concussion process - and he’s quickly cleared to continue. They got through for a single after the blow, so it’s Rahane on strike now, leaving and defending the rest.
“Hi Adam.” Tanya Wintringham! Lovely to see you in my inbox. “That’s commitment to be up at 3:30am! It’s been a weird old day here, earthquake at 2:30am, tsunami alerts/marine warnings issued and lifted and now Covid-19 level changes (good ones) announced. Can tomorrow be calmer please? Haven’t even had a chance to listen to the TFW day one pod yet. Hope you guys are all settled back in at home, baby jet lag is done and you’re used to winter clothing again. Take care out there.”
30th over: India 47-3 (Rohit 26, Rahane 1) 150 dots in the innings, TV says - so, 24 scoring shots in 29 overs. Impressive. Make that 25, Rohit dancing down the track to take Leach on, lifting him over extra cover for just his third boundary. Shot. There’s some commotion later when Leach gets one to really bounce past Rohit, taken brilliantly with one glove by Foakes. Saves a certain four byes.
“Morning Adam.” Good morning to my man Brian Withington. “Very restrained batting by Rohit so far, who has previously been outstanding in this series in scoring quickly. Presumably he has been consulting Madhu with his five day crystal ball prognosis, and does not subscribe to the apparently popular English batting view that one has your name on it so let’s give it the charge while we can. Beautifully poised.”
29th over: India 43-3 (Rohit 22, Rahane 1) Stokes to start an eighth over in this morning heat. He sure loves these long spells and he relishes banging it in short. Rahane is up to the task initially here, deflecting with soft hands. Stokes responds with the tempter, well outside the off-stump and left well alone. Can he keep going?
28th over: India 43-3 (Rohit 22, Rahane 1) Leach to Rohit, who remains in control taking one to deep cover to start. Back to Rahane, who defends the straight ball, picking it up to adjust just in time, then gets himself off the mark with a push off the back foot to cover.
27th over: India 41-3 (Rohit 21, Rahane 0) Outstanding cricket, Ben Stokes. Into his seventh over of the morning, and it took him a few to fire up - the change of ends helped, his shorter ball more potent. And it was that extra bounce that sorted out Kohli, getting big on him from well short of a length then kissing the shoulder of the bat. The crowd have been silenced with England are fired up. Now Rahane, who has two deliveries to negotiate. The first is right on the money, bringing him forward in defence. India trail by 164.
Stokes nicks Kohli off for a duck with a brute! Game on here!
26th over: India 40-2 (Rohit 20, Kohli 0) It takes Leach three deliveries to find his range to Kohli, bringing him forward for the second half of the maiden. The Indian numero uno shoulders arms to the final offering, which excites the Somerset tweaker given he - like Axar, like Ashwin - has used the straight ball to great effect.
25th over: India 40-2 (Rohit 20, Kohli 0) Stokes continues to Rohit. The new man, Kohli, has gone 28 innings without a tonfor India. Stokes does his job, a maiden, which will give Leach - the man most likely so far today - the chance to get a look at the Indian captain.
“Hi Adam.” Hello, Madhu Balasubramon. “My crystal ball tells me that fans’ hoping for cricket over the weekend are in luck. India will bat the old fashioned way of playing for time, and in the process bat for two days and build a 300 run lead. England will show real heart in their second innings, the root cause of which will be Joe Root, and make India bat again. Amidst a dramatic final session, India will scrape through for a win, with the fall of wickets keeping things exciting until the end. With that, I am off to perfect my early morning coffee dosing, so I can keep this up until day five.”
Earlier in that over Leach liked an lbw shout despite the fact that Pujara was well down the track. It definitely went on with the arm, but did it hit the pad in line? Was there an inside edge? There was too much doubt for Root to send it upstairs. But maybe it introduced just a slight element of indecision for the Indian No3. A wicket England badly needed after keeping it tight through the first hour.
Yep, that’ll do! Impact is in line and the ball is hitting middle and off halfway up. The fourth time he’s been out to Leach in the series.
24th over: India 40-2 (Rohit 20) And that’s drinks.
IS PUJARA LBW TO LEACH? He’s given! And... reviewing.
23rd over: India 38-1 (Rohit 19, Pujara 16) Stokes is swung around to replace Anderson, who has figures 10-8-3-1. But India won’t mind that, they’re done the job and seen him off. For now. Rohit picks up the short ball, steering it down for a single behind square, with another run added off Pujara’s pad. Bumper to finish; Rohit ducks.
22nd over: India 36-1 (Rohit 18, Pujara 16) Jack Leach to replace Stokes - the first over of spin today. Pujara pushes carefully to cover, getting himself off strike. Oooh, he gets one to really turn at Rohit, beyond his outside edge. “This looks like it did on the first day last week,” notes Graeme Swann. Back to Pujara to finish and an edge, doesn’t carry! Ohhh, and it should have! Foakes is so quick that he manages to get the end of his glove on the ball, which means it doesn’t get to Stokes at slip. A genuine edge, on the front foot.
21st over: India 34-1 (Rohit 17, Pujara 15) A fifth over from Anderson to Rohit - one final big push while the ball is new enough? He’s using his bat now, full and nagging, defended, albeit not as convincingly as the opener would like. There’s enough movement still around. But when Jimmy drops his length back a touch, he’s able to leave the second half of the over. Three maidens on the trot between the pair.
England’s women have just about finished the job at Wellington, now needing four to win from 17 balls with six wickets in hand.
20th over: India 34-1 (Rohit 17, Pujara 15) There we go, a short one Stokes to hurry Pujara - the first of those we’ve seen today. But when the ball is fall, he’s back to defending with hands so soft that it barely travels beyond the cut strip after hitting his bat. It was a joy to watch him do his thing through the Australian summer, not least at Brisbane when he was beaten up for hour after hour - one of the toughest innings I’ve seen. Three of his slowest four half-centuries in Test cricket came in those Sydney and Gabba Tests. Love him.
19th over: India 34-1 (Rohit 17, Pujara 15) Anderson v Rohit once again, who this time is able to shoulder arms to five or the six balls. There’s still enough inswing to ask questions of the right-hander - it’s never easy to leave alone when that is the case - but he knows the drill here: if he can see Anderson off, the day opens up for him.
“Hi Adam.” Good afternoon to you in Australia, Rosie Piper. “Hope you’re well. Firstly, absolutely love The Final Word. Gets me through those long work days. Secondly, I heard yourself and Geoff on there speaking pretty confidently about Root’s ability to break Mohammad Yousuf’s record for runs in a calendar year. Given he’s dropped off a bit in the last few tests, do you still think he can do it? If he can’t, who’d be on your wishlist to break the record at some stage, if any?”
18th over: India 34-1 (Rohit 17, Pujara 15) Full toss, four. The first boundary of the day, Rohit not missing out when Stokes gives him a shin-height delivery well outside the off-stump, steered past point. It’s a bit of a concern for Root that Stokes is well short of his dynamic best this morning. The extent to which that relates to the all-rounder carrying a bit of a tummy bug, as we learned yesterday? Can’t help.
17th over: India 28-1 (Rohit 12, Pujara 15) Anderson to Rohit, two of the best going at it early on this second day. The opener is able to leave four of the six deliveries though, and duly does. A tempting channel from Jimmy all the same. Needless to say, a lot hinges on whether England can remove Rohit early - he averages 90 (!) in India.
16th over: India 28-1 (Rohit 12, Pujara 15) Rohit has started positively, scoring each time he’s had a chance to turn into the legside, as he does early here against Stokes for a single. Now Pujara, but there’s nothing menacing. It prompts a discussion on the telly about the composition of England’s attack. Get used to that.
“Good morning, Adam.” An early alarm for John Starbuck. Welcome. “Referencing Can’s ‘Future Days’, I’m wondering how all this will look later this year. Did we really get up and follow the game at 4a.m. when the temperature was around zero? It will make a fine story for the I-was-there small band of fans in England, whatever the outcome, but well done Channel Four for taking the blindingly obvious chance to show us, confounding the loony The Hundred reaction furnished by the Beeb.”
15th over: India 27-1 (Rohit 11, Pujara 15) Rohit tucks Anderson into the onside for the second time this morning, giving the strike to Pujara early the over. He does as you might expect: defending with the softest hands in the cricketing world then leaving well alone.
14th over: India 26-1 (Rohit 10, Pujara 15) Stokes, who is essentially England’s second seamer in this Test, at Pujara. Not a lot of potency to begin but Pujara is happy enough watching a maiden. Interesting to hear Stokes describe the conditions yesterday (the weather, not the pitch) as the toughest he’s batted in. While touching on the topic, I can promise you one thing on this OBO stint: I will not be discussing The Great Pitch Culture War. It’s been done to death.
Related: Ben Stokes laments 'hardest conditions I’ve faced' as struggles in India continue
13th over: India 26-1 (Rohit 10, Pujara 15) The first runs off Anderson from the first ball of the day, Rohit clipping a couple through midwicket. Jimmy finds his mark immediately thereafter, getting one to leap back at the opener after he shouldered arms, hitting him on the back thigh pad but too high for an appeal. Ohh, a closer shout later in the over from similar, fuller delivery, beating Rohit on the inside edge on the front foot. Again, it’s going over - Anderson pulls out of the appeal - but a good early sign. Hoop, there it is.
No OBO for the New Zealand/England 2nd T20i at Wellington but Heather Knight’s side are well placed for victory in pursuit of 124, now 61/2 after the 8th over with Beaumont going well on 44 (31).
Here come the players. Rohit (8) and Pujara (15) to resume for the hosts, who batted carefully through to the close last night. Jimmy, with the ridiculous analysis of 5-5-0-1, will start for England. PLAY!
“All I want is more then 2 days of cricket!” declares Max Murdik. “In Canada, baseball is more then a month away, there is no coverage of spring training in Florida. Just reading about the heat in India gets me through the next few months. Even if the only reason to tune in is to watch Jimmy being Jimmy.” Have faith!
“Good morning Adam.” Hello to you, Paul Harrison, ready to burn the midnight oil with us in New York. “I hope you, Winnie and family are well?” We are! This is our final day of mandatory self-isolation having returned to London early last week. Of course, we’ll graduate to lockdown status after that, so not a lot will change, but I’m looking forward to a long run (okay, shuffle) tomorrow morning.
“I’m loving the cricket, and the mastery of the Indian tweakers in particular, but must admit to feeling short-changed by the speed at which these Tests are progressing. Am I the only OBOer to miss the deep wormhole multi-session riffs of yesteryear? There seems scarcely a moment for you to describe the action, let alone get into a Smythian OC obsession. Thanks as ever to you and OBO team for the brilliant work bringing the cricket to life.”
“Good morning Adam!” And to you, Kumar in Winnipeg. “Really excited for a cracking day. The other day I was looking at spinners in test and found that many of them were finger spinners or off spinners and leg spinners are more prevalent in T20. Is there any reason for this phenomena? Or am I just reminiscing the days when we had Warne and Kumble and they were the outliers?! Anyways good to have you back on the OBO comms!”
It goes in waves, right? Just using Australia as an example, for a number of decades until the mid-1960s, it was legspin all the way - you know the names - and then it’s largely tweakers until Warne/Macgill. And now a decade of Lyon, who will eventually (not any time soon) be replaced by Queensland leggie Mitch Swepson. But in India, there’s no substitute for accuracy, which is what you get with Ashwin/Jadeja/Axil et al. A superb generation.
Another read from last night to get us into the groove, Simon Burnton on Dan Lawrence’s useful, if unfulfilled, contribution. Nevertheless, a nice way to finish after a lean run since his debut.
Related: Axar Patel picks off listless England but Dan Lawrence refuses to wither | Simon Burnton
All-out for 205, on a good pitch for batting, after several promising partnerships finished in the 40s? Put in those terms, England had a stinker - and look, that’s tough to refute. But measured against lowly expectations? After falling to 30/3? And adding a breakthrough with the ball before stumps? It really could have been worse.
It’s with that cold comfort, for England fans, we begin today. If you’re with me at half past three UK time, thank you. You can keep me company. As you can if you are tuning in from India, Australia or anywhere else in the world. I mention the latter because, remember, if England do win this (however unlikely) it will be Tim Paine’s team in the World Test Championship final against New Zealand.
Related: Weary England in a spin again as India take control of fourth Test
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