Manchester, July 25 — England ended Day 2 of the Manchester Test against India at 225 for 2, trailing by 133 runs in the first innings. At stumps, Joe Root was unbeaten on 11 and Ollie Pope was batting on 20, as the hosts responded assertively to India’s total of 358.
India’s First Innings Wrapped Up at 358
India began the day at 264 for 4 but lost Ravindra Jadeja early for 20. Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur stitched together an important 48-run stand. Thakur played aggressively but was dismissed for 41 while attempting to drive a wide delivery from Ben Stokes.
Sundar played a patient knock, scoring 27 off 90 balls, but could not hold on for long. Debutant Anshul Kamboj was dismissed without scoring. India lost its last four wickets for just 21 runs, finishing at 358 in their first innings.
England skipper Ben Stokes led the bowling attack with five wickets. Jofra Archer claimed three, while Liam Dawson and Chris Woakes took one each.
Explosive Opening Stand from Duckett and Crawley
England replied in typical ‘Bazball’ style. Openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley launched a fierce counterattack, putting up a 166-run partnership for the first wicket. Duckett narrowly missed out on a century, falling for 94, while Crawley contributed 84.
Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Crawley, while Anshul Kamboj claimed his maiden international wicket by removing Duckett.
Pant’s Grit Earns Praise
Rishabh Pant continued to draw attention with his brave innings despite a fractured thumb. His fighting effort played a crucial role in pushing India to a respectable total.
Match Hangs in Balance
After the strong English opening stand, Indian bowlers struck back with two quick wickets for just 31 runs. With the match finely poised, India will aim to restrict England to a lower total on Day 3 and gain a crucial lead in the second innings.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
