India vs England 2nd test 2021 : Day 3 and Day 4

 

Day 3, Joe Root completed his fifty as he was at 48 before the second day’s play. Then Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow did a very good partnership as Jonny Bairstow also completed his fifty. Joe Root was eyeing to complete his century but then Siraj took the wicket of Jonny Bairstow. He was trying to pull but the ball touched the outside edge and it was an easy catch for Virat Kohli at slips. They both stitched a partnership of 110 runs. After some overs, Joe Root completed his hundred, it was his second in the series. Jos Buttler and Joe Root were also playing well. As the day moved forward the pitch started to ease out because of the weather as sun was above the head the whole day. Everybody was coming to bat did a partnership of 30 – 40 runs as the pitch was easing out. Jos Buttler and Joe Root also did that before a beauty from Ishant Sharma clean bowled Jos Buttler. It was in – swinging delivery and there was so much gap between the bat and pad and the bowl hit the stumps. Then only in the next ball Ishant Sharma also took the wicket of Sam Curran for a Golden duck. The ball touched his outside edge and went straight to the slip cordon. Moeen Ali who also stitched a 30 – 40 run partnerships. In between, Joe Root also completed his 150 and was eyeing towards his double century. After 5 – 7 overs Moeen Ali nicked one ball to slips and he got out. He got out on 27. In the next ball Sam Curran also got out he also nicked one ball to slips. Sam Curran got a golden duck and made a king pair. Then Mohammed Siraj also got Ollie Robinson. He was LBW. Joe Root was eyeing his double century but wickets were falling on the other end as Mark Wood also got run – out. He sacrificed his wicket for Joe Root. After that Jasprit Bumrah bowled a 10 – ball over. He just bowled all bouncers and he bowled some no balls so it got a 10 ball over. In the next over, Shami bowled Anderson and Joe Root couldn’t complete his double century. England got out on 391 and they took a lead of 27 runs.

Day 4, India started their batting on Day 4 as the third day got over when England got all out. India got a start which they didn’t want as only in the sixth KL Rahul got out only in the sixth over. A surprise for everybody as Mark Wood came to bowl in the sixth over. Kl Rahul tried to defence on backfoot but the ball touched his outside edge and went straight to Jos Buttler. Then only in the 12^th over Rohit Sharma played the pull shot and it could not cross the boundary and Moeen Ali catch the ball. India was 27 for 2 in just 12 overs. India now could start making their lead. Virat Kohli showed some momentum but his innings couldn’t last longer as he touched an outside – off ball of Sam Curran and the ball touching his outside edge went to Jos Buttler. Now both out – of – form batsman was batting, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara. They both did a 100 – run partnership which saved India from the collapse. Rahane completed his fifty but Pujara at 45 got out to an unexpected bouncer of Mark Wood. It was a bouncer which touched his edge and went to the gully fielder. Rishabh Pant came in to bat. Rahane thereby was making runs but he edged one ball of Moeen Ali and Jos Buttler catch the ball. We all were expecting a heal to the damage which India had but Jadeja also got bowled by Moeen Ali. Due to bad light play was stopped and it was stumps. India were 182 for 6 and a lead of 154 runs. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

India vs England 2nd Test 2021 : Day 1 and Day 2

 

       I have mentioned that India will tour England in August this year. As the first test was a draw, the second test at Lord’s just showed the beauty of Test Cricket. England won the toss and elected to bowl first. Seeing the weather conditions, India got what they wanted because there was no chance of rain and it was expected that there would be sunlight after one or two sessions and after one or two days the pitch would be a good one for spinners.

        Before the play there was 15 – 20 minutes of rain and after the rain stopped play got started. Indian openers did a 100 – run partnership which was the first by Indian openers at Lord’s after 1952. Rohit Sharma at 83 got out to and absolute beauty from James Anderson. In that session only India lost out of form Cheteshwar Pujara with an out swinging ball of Jimmy Anderson. KL Rahul and Virat Kohli played the rest of the session and Rahul completed his fifty. After tea, KL Rahul started playing fast and his target was to complete his hundred. He achieved his target and scored a magnificent hundred. Virat Kohli was also playing well on the other end but nicked one on slips of the ball of Ollie Robinson. At the end of the day, India was 276 at the loss of 3 wickets.

        Day 2, India lost KL Rahul in just the second ball of the day. He tried to play a cover drive but was caught at covers of the ball of Ollie Robinson. In the next over, Ajinkya Rahane also nicked one to the slips of the ball of Jimmy Anderson. It was Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja who stabled the innings after that but their partnership couldn’t stay longer as Mark Wood took the wicket of Rishabh Pant. He generated his extra pace and Pant tried to cut it but was late and the ball touching his outside edge went straight to Jos Buttler. Then Ravindra Jadeja and the long tail of India got out in the next 33 runs. India was all out on 364. India’s highest run scorer was KL Rahul with his brilliant 129. England openers were steady at the crease before Siraj took two wickets in two consecutive balls. First it was Dom Sibley and then it was the debutant Hasib Hameed. Sibley tried to play the flick shot but played it to the short leg fielder. Hasib Hamid bowled and got a golden duck. Joe Root and Rory Burns were playing well. At the end of the day’s play Jasprit Bumrah took the wicket of Rory Burns at 48. He edged the ball and it went straight to Rishabh Pant.