England are undercooked and have overpromoted some players
Optimism and a belief “Stokesy can do it” regardless of the situation courses through this England team but the first Test has been like having a cold glass of water thrown in their faces while they sleep.
With India 421 for seven, a lead of 175 and three days still to go, England are in a position of having to settle for taking something, anything, from the game to build on for a long series.
We are where we expected on a turning pitch against India and at least their self-inflicted dismissals, six of the seven wickets, shows they are not a smoking hot batting line up. England will have their moments and can come back in the series, but this Test follows the first against Australia in the summer as one that they were just not fully primed to play.
There were many reasons for England’s decision to prepare in the UAE rather than warm up with real cricket in India: lack of trust in the BCCI to provide decent opposition or pitches resembling Test wickets, and they did not want to layer on another couple of weeks in India on top of what is a long tour by modern standards.
World-class players like Ben Stokes can flick a switch and turn it on like he did in the first innings. He is one of a long line of England greats to dismiss the warm up as unnecessary. For the mere mortals, those returning from injury or experiencing India for the first time, they serve a purpose.
There is an argument that batsmen may well be better off with long nets because warm ups are so far removed from facing Ashwin and Jadeja in a Test match on these pitches, but it is the bowlers who look undercooked and, at the moment, overpromoted. Rehan Ahmed and Tom Hartley shopped nearly 250 runs between them and Joe Root summing the ghost of Stuart Broad with his bail switching mind games showed England’s desperation for an answer
Jack Leach is bowling in a match for the first time since the Lord’s Test against Ireland in the cool English early summer, Rehan Ahmed is in his 14th first-class game, Tom Hartley his 21st. The senior spinner Leach worked nothing longer than a four-over spell and at one stage when the innings was still in the balance, 19-year-old Rehan had bowled more than him. England blamed a bang on the knee in the field but maybe more cricket would have given his body a stronger resilience to such bumps. It left Stokes without a bowler who could control for a long period and establish a dominance. India took wickets in clumps, England held their hands out for gimmes.
Stokes said before the Test that Leach would be an important conduit between him and the young spinners. His role would be to explain to them what the captain wants and why he bowls with such attacking fields. They found out against KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja what that means in reality, the pair picking off boundaries down the ground where protection was minimal. Could they have not worked on this against lesser players in a match away from the scrutiny of Test cricket? Stokes sticks dogmatically to his ways and clarity of message is important. England adapted Bazball against Australia after two Tests, so Stokes may well realise there can be another way in India.
Another sign of ring rustiness was Ben Foakes missing an edge to Rahul on nought. He pushed forward at his second ball from Root, edged it and Foakes could only deflect it. He is picked to take the wonder catch, conjure a wicket from nothing on these surfaces. It was given as byes and England were out of reviews but if Foakes had grabbed it, and appealed loudly the umpire may have been convinced of an edge. How would Jonny Bairstow’s critics have reacted in the same situation? After poking around with the bat, he needs to take half chances to stay in the side.
It was not really a surprise that Root was England’s best spinner, the one to turn it the most and offer threat. Leach was tidy enough but did not spin the ball appreciably despite trying various lines of attack. Hartley and Ahmed bowled good balls but would follow them with bad, and India capitalised with hit nine sixes in the innings. England’s spinners tired as the day wore on as you expect after so little bowling, and served up more freebies. Ahmed’s maiden in the first over after lunch was the first of the day. England bowled poorly and India were not made to work hard enough for their advantage.
Root was mystifyingly held back on the first evening but he struck in the first over of the day when Jaiswal took on Stokes playing on his ego by dropping back 10 yards at mid-on, his subsequent lofted drive was mistimed and gave a simple caught and bowled.
England were up, but once Rahul survived the edge, they were left relying on batsman error. Shubman Gill obliged, clipping a drag-down from Hartley to midwicket for his first Test wicket.
Tom Hartley's 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁 in international Test cricket 🙌@tomhartley100 👏#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/Pp7lPXFG0F
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) January 26, 2024
Mark Wood tested Shreyas Iyer’s nerve with some bouncers but the pitch is not made for leg theory, even for Wood. Rahul picked off the bad balls, eased to fifty and took India into the lead with two sixes off Ahmed, one straight down the ground, the other a pie hit over midwicket.
Iyer holed out off another Ahmed gift, and Rahul fluffed a hundred when he picked out deep midwicket off a Hartley long hop. Jadeja batted within himself, as he does in Test cricket, and celebrated his fifty with his trademark Rajput sword twirling, the crowd lapping it up. Ashwin was run out as both he and Jadeja made a dash for the same end, another bonus wicket. Srikar Bharat was the first genuine dismissal, out leg before sweeping Root, who worked through a 16 over spell to prove he can be the third spinner to free up the return of a seamer and a more balanced attack for the next Test. It is something that could have emerged in a match played away from the Test cauldron.
India turn the screw on lacklustre England: as it happened
11:58 AM GMT
A verdict from Sir Geoffrey after day two
11:50 AM GMT
Jeetan Patel speaks to TNT Sports
“A tough day for us, the reality is I think the guys put in a fantastic effort. It would have been nice to have a few more opportunities go our way. We are proud of the way we kept coming, ball after ball, day after day. Jack bumped his knee yesterday and he bumped it again today, Jack is probably the guy that would have bowled those overs [that Hartley bowled]. He actually bowled really well considering.
“Tom took that on and Rehan bowled superbly today. Tom has created opportunities, he’s taken a couple of wickets. It would have been nice for him to get a couple more but it’s the way the game is at the moment. It was about for us making sure we got short spells in the guys. The only thing that really matters is the three wickets, we bowl them out and worry about the game from there.”
11:40 AM GMT
Will Macpherson's end-of-play verdict
“Well, that was a chastening day for England and their spinners in the end. India will resume 175 ahead on day three, with a bit of power to add. It’s been a curious day for England, for whom Jack Leach did not bowl more than four overs at a time, and the rookies Rehan Ahmed and Tom Hartley were expensive. Joe Root was their most threatening bowler, which has to be a worry.”
11:37 AM GMT
KL Rahul speaks after stumps
“It’s obviously the hundred in SA has given me a bit of confidence. Have been playing a bit of cricket since my injury. Batting is coming out well, wanted to go out there and assess what shots I could play... and put runs on the board. Obviously all of us have grown up playing on wickets like this, a bit of turn but the pace of the wicket is a bit slow... that got a bit challenging.
“We just had to not really change my game but know what shots to play on this pitch and what for the opportunities to play those shots. We just wanted to bat as long as we can and put as many runs on the board. If we were in a position to bat the opposition out of the game we should capitalise and try and do that.”
11:37 AM GMT
STUMPS, DAY TWO: INDIA LEAD ENGLAND BY 175 RUNS (1ST INNS)
Day one was chastening but day two was India just steadily increasing their advantage as England’s tools to limit their total were found to be pretty blunt. England are already going to need to bat extremely well – and for a long time – to get anything out of this game.
11:32 AM GMT
OVER 110: IND 421/7 (Jadeja 81 Patel 35)
Tom Hartley returns for his 25th over. Hasn’t bowled as much today as yesterday but did get another wicket, albeit with a rank half-tracker. Hartley goes too full and Axar swings hard down the ground, along the ground, for four on the long-on boundary. He follows that up with a big slog sweep for six and the ball is momentarily lost. Perhaps just one more ball today... it’s another slog sweep, but “only” for four. 15 off the over, 4, 6, 4 the finish off Hartley’s first over back. That is stumps. Hmmm. Another tough day for England.
11:26 AM GMT
OVER 109: IND 406/7 (Jadeja 80 Patel 21)
Jadeja moves into the 80s with a single. He is a formidable batsman as well as bowler. Small chance of a stumping for Foaks but the ball slipped by. Not sure the foot was off the ground for more than a milisecond, though.
11:23 AM GMT
OVER 108: IND 405/7 (Jadeja 79 Patel 21)
Two singles off Leach’s latest over. The match has that end of day feeling right now, especially with India so far in the lead...
11:20 AM GMT
OVER 107: IND 403/7 (Jadeja 78 Patel 20)
A full toss from Ahmed is punished by Jadeja - four runs through the leg side. That brings up India’s 400 as the screw turns on England even further. It’s not that England have disgraced themselves here, but they are just a long way short of India in these conditions. The final ball keeps low and Jadeja keeps it out... but that will encourage India more than it will worry them.
11:15 AM GMT
OVER 106: IND 399/7 (Jadeja 74 Patel 20)
A bit of turn for Leach in the foot-holes outside Axar’s off-stump but it turns too far and down leg, where the batsman nudges it. Straight to the fielder, though. A well-timed drive, not too powerful, gets Axar two through the covers. Very easy for India at the moment.
11:12 AM GMT
OVER 104: IND 396/7 (Jadeja 73 Patel 18)
Having said that, Axar has a big heave across the line and swipes it for four to deep midwicket for four. A little full perhaps and that takes India’s lead to 150. And Rehan Ahmed has now conceded 100 runs in his 21 overs for one wicket. Hard yards for him and the whole England team, really.
11:08 AM GMT
OVER 104: IND 392/7 (Jadeja 73 Patel 14)
Jack Leach has been off the field for a portion of today but returns here for his 23rd over. He has kept things neat and tidy so far. Doing the spinner’s job of keeping things quiet. Problem is England need him - and their other bowlers, too - to take wickets...
Another single, again to Axar, off this over. India not really going on the attack here. No need to do more with nine overs remaining.
11:03 AM GMT
OVER 103: IND 391/7 (Jadeja 73 Patel 13)
Thanks Rob. Rehan Ahmed returns to the attack for his 20th over. He’s not far off bringing up his own ton, unfortunately. It’s a pretty tidy over in fairness with just a single, driven through the covers to Axar Patel off it.
11:00 AM GMT
OVER 102: IND 390/7 (Jadeja 73 Patel 12)
Make that 11 overs by 11am GMT for Mark Wood. Jadeja square drives for two then defends the next five, one left, three with his bat, one with a pad as he tried to leg-glance but missed the ball.
Here’s Luke Slater to take you to the close of play.
10:57 AM GMT
OVER 101: IND 388/7 (Jadeja 71 Patel 12)
Another tidy Root over, conceding only one single, trying almost to will a wicket but he can’t. England, by contrats with india, have been shocking with their over rate. They should have bowled 90 in five minutes’time but play will be extended to cover their 12-over shortfall untill 11.30am GMT at the latest. Given Mark Wood has bowled only 10 of them and the rest have been delivered by spinners, that’s garbage.
10:50 AM GMT
OVER 100: IND 387/7 (Jadeja 70 Patel 12)
Mark Wood, as ever, is bowling his heart out for England and tries to squeeze a yorker through Axar Patel’s defence at 92.3mph but the left-hander chisels it out of the blockhole.
10:48 AM GMT
OVER 99: IND 386/7 (Jadeja 69 Patel 12)
News from Liverpool of Jurgen Klopp’s resignation at the end of the season has rather stolen cricket’s thunder this morning.
Nonetheless, like England, we keep going. Jadeja takes a single to mid-off off Root and Patel keeps out the rest of the over.
Not a good omen for England’s second innings that the ball is starting to keep low. That will help Jasprit Bumrah never mind India’s spinners.
10:42 AM GMT
OVER 98: IND 385/7 (Jadeja 68 Patel 12)
Jadeja, who made a century at Edgbaston in that reschduled fifth Test of 2022, is batting beautifully. It’s been a very measured approach but Wood does get one to nibble back and hit him on the pad in front of leg stump. England make a half-hearted appeal as the ball shoots down for four leg-byes. The umpire said ‘not out’ but would have been out on umpire’s call had he decided differently.
10:38 AM GMT
OVER 97: IND 378/7 (Jadeja 66 Patel 11)
Root pins Axar Patel with the arm ball but it seemed to have straightened too much to hit off stump from round the wicket. Jadeja works a couple of singles off his pads and Patel shuffles on to the back foot to punch a single to cover.
10:33 AM GMT
OVER 96: IND 375/7 (Jadeja 64 Patel 10)
Mark Wood is thrown the relatively new ball after some of the lacquer has been chipped off. He comes round the wicket to the two left-handers. Two singles sandwich four dot balls. Wood is still skirting with 90mph in this, his third spell of the day. But there’s not enough bounce or swing to trouble these two for whom it appears to be coming on nicely.
10:29 AM GMT
OVER 95: IND 373/7 (Jadeja 63 Patel 9)
Axar Patel, a wolf in sheep’s clothing at No9, creams a cover drive off Root fot four and then whisks a single off his pads to extend the lead to 127. Eoin Morgan says Stokes is such a singular man and captain that he will be plotting a path to victory however big india’s first-innings lead. I agree he’s an exceptional man and captain but it smacks of hope over experience in this instance. India are unbeaten in series at home for more than 11 years and have lost only three Tests since England won in 2012.
10:20 AM GMT
OVER 94: IND 367/7 (Jadeja 62 Patel 4)
Leach rags one past Jadeja’s leg stump ... and also Foakes who can’t lay a glove on it and the ball scuttles down for four byes.
Time for a drink.
10:15 AM GMT
OVER 93: IND 362/7 (Jadeja 61 Patel 4)
Back to back maidens for England, Root arcing the ball outside Patel’s off-stump and the left-hander seems happy just to leave or pat the ball to a fielder.
10:12 AM GMT
OVER 92: IND 362/7 (Jadeja 61 Patel 4)
Leach wraps up a maiden to Jadeja. Stokes tries to tempt him to go over the top by moving mid-off but he refuses to enter into that bargain and blocks it out.
10:08 AM GMT
OVER 91: IND 362/7 (Jadeja 61 Patel 4)
Jadeja chops a cut off Root for a single and then saws off Ashwin by responding to his call before sending him back when the big fella was chugging too quickly down the pitch to stop. In come Axar Patel who swipes a drive uppishly through cover for four. Rehan chases it down and pulls it back but not before his knuckle grazed the boundary toblerone.
That is a fantastic run out scene. Both batsmen sprinting in the same direction, and then looking at each other with utter disdain arguing over who should go. That they are one of the great bowling partnerships only adds to it. Anyway, another gifted wicket.
10:02 AM GMT
Wicket!
Ashwin run out 1 A brilliant bowling partnership, which has claimed more than 500 Test wickets in matches in which they have both played, contrasts with thei strangers act with the bat. Ashwin sets off on a daft run having poked it to cover. Jadeja set off, went two steps then sent him back but Ashwin just kept going and both ended up at the non-striker’s. FOW 358/7
A calamitous mix-up but a gift for England! 🤝#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/vElwKLUXMP
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) January 26, 2024
10:01 AM GMT
OVER 90: IND 357/6 (Jadeja 60 Ashwin 1)
Ashwin is confronted by a second slip as Leach wheels in and adds a maiden to his figures. Every ball is on an off-stump line and he manages to turn the new ball away a couple of times. Ashwin plays with watchfulness.
09:58 AM GMT
OVER 89: IND 357/6 (Jadeja 60 Ashwin 1)
Root deserved that. He has beaten the bat with off-breaks on several occasions and finally manges to convince Paul Reiffel to give him the benefit of the doubt so the umpire’s call falls in his favour.
India lead by 111.
09:53 AM GMT
Wicket!
Bharat lbw b Root 41 At last an lbw. He slog-swept the previous ball for four then went for the encore but Root pitched it wider and got it to skid through and turn back in. It was umpire’s call on off stump but clipping. FOW 356/6
09:53 AM GMT
India review
Bharat lbw b Root Hit on the back leg when sweeping and falling over. But on the thighpad as he knelt.
09:52 AM GMT
OVER 88: IND 349/5 (Jadeja 60 Bharat 37)
Leach replaces Hartley after only one over and Jadeja and Bharat are happy just to work singles into gaps. He does make Bharat play and miss outside off but cedes two singles into the legside square and another through point.
09:47 AM GMT
OVER 87: IND 349/5 (Jadeja 59 Bharat 35)
The lead is so large with five wickets left I fear England will lose by an innings by the end of day three unless they can bowl India out in the next hour. Even if they do, they will almost certainly still lose unless someone, probably Root, makes a daddy hundred and someone else chips in.
This pitch has not been the snakepit every England fan feared. It’s just that India’s bowlers are better than England’s.
Bharat works two singles off Root into the legside. Jadeja presses another off his toes.
09:43 AM GMT
OVER 86: IND 346/5 (Jadeja 58 Bharat 33)
Bharat beats Rehan’s throw to come back for two after dabbing Hartley down to deep point. I supect Hartley was hoping for more bounce with the new ball but it is skidding on. He is turning it yet without the ball spitting up Bjarat is happy to hang on the back foot and working it away with the bottom hand for a single that tales India’s lead to 100.
09:39 AM GMT
OVER 85: IND 343/5 (Jadeja 58 Bharat 30)
The new ball slips out of Root’s hand and ends up a full toss that Jadeja bunts through mid-on for four. Jadeja has a packed offside under his nose as Root runs through his armoury of slingers, low-arm darts, offies and leggies. Only that boundary off the over.
Stokes gives new ball duties to Hartley again, leaving Wood at third man.
09:36 AM GMT
OVER 84: IND 339/5 (Jadeja 54 Bharat 30)
In the immortal words of Derek, or was it Clive?, ‘I mean, who do I turn to?’ Stokes has almost no options other than to stick with Root as his main attack weapon. Looks like he’s going to take the new ball at the end of this over and give it to Root after Jadeja and Bharat milk Rehan for three singles.
Yes, they’re taking it.
09:31 AM GMT
OVER 83: IND 336/5 (Jadeja 52 Bharat 29)
Fifty for Jadeja and he twirls his bat. Zorro-fashion, when he eases a drive through mid-off for a single and triples his return with two buzzers. The rest of the over is played out with busy feet but cautiously. Positive defence, I think they call it.
09:27 AM GMT
OVER 82: IND 333/5 (Jadeja 49 Bharat 29)
The curse of the drag-down strikes again and Bharat hammers a pull for two that would have been four save for Hartley’s excellence in chasing it down. The right-hander is purring now, guiding an edge past slip for two, dabbing another to third man for two more and then carting a second long hop for four. Triple Neslon ahoy.
One little positive for England. Joe Root’s bowling should make it easier for England to accommodate an extra seamer in their XI later in the series; no concerns about his ability to be third spinner in India.
09:24 AM GMT
OVER 81: IND 323/5 (Jadeja 49 Bharat 19)
A huge roar when DRS reprieves Jadeja from Paul Reiffel’s mistake but he stays stuck on 49 for five balls as England cramp his style on the offside.
The new ball could have been taken but hasn’t been.
09:22 AM GMT
NOT OUT
Took a chunk out of the inside edge.
09:22 AM GMT
India review
Jadeja lbw b Root
09:21 AM GMT
OVER 80: IND 322/5 (Jadeja 49 Bharat 18)
Bharat takes a solitary siungle off Rehan’s 17th over with a push to mid-off.
09:20 AM GMT
OVER 79: IND 321/5 (Jadeja 49 Bharat 17)
Another yell of exasperation from Root during a leg-before appeal but it pitched outside leg and no manner of imploring can change that. Root follows that with a yelp of exasperation when he serves up a long hop under a silver cloche and Bharat swats it for four. The right-hander whisks two off his toes and drills a single through cover.
09:17 AM GMT
OVER 78: IND 314/5 (Jadeja 49 Bharat 10)
Rehan has plenty of promise but lacks consistency. On the TV Eoin Morgan seems to think England will earn three new reviews at 80 0vers. Oh no they won’t. What makes him think that? Is that really a series regulation? It’s usually three for the entire innings no matter how long it takes. Jadeja works a two and single through the legside, Bharat gets up on his toes to clip a single through square leg.
09:10 AM GMT
OVER 77: IND 310/5 (Jadeja 46 Bharat 9)
Jadeja hides his bat to Root but manages to jam it down to feather an inside edge to save him from leg-before. At least that’s what Paul Reiffel must think as it was definitely hitting the stumps.
He also turns down a big appeal when he turns an off-break into Bharat’s pad. His long stride saved him there as tracking shows the ball clearing off and middle.
What a mess. Root is England’s best bowler ... by miles.
09:03 AM GMT
Tea verdict
A lovely scene at tea time here, with women dressed in colourful sarees sweeping the pitch. There’s four of them, plus a load of the ground staff, working away.
England slowed things down in the final part of that session, but are in deep trouble here. Jadeja has done what Jadeja does, flamboyantly taking the game away.
They picked up two wickets, both caught at deep-midwicket. They are still yet to take one bowled, lbw or caught close in. Eight of the 10 wickets India took yesterday fell in those three ways.
England are desperate for a bit of their luck to change, but they have no reviews and Stokes seems short of bowling options. It’s saying something when Joe Root is your strike spinner. Jack Leach has bowled fine, but without great venom, and the fact that he has not bowled more than a four-over spell all day suggests something is just not quite right.
Two hours of the day remaining; will England have a nasty spell to bat?
08:47 AM GMT
TEA: IND 309/5
Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul got themselves out to give England a glimmer of hope but this partnership has slammed the door closed again and only five quick wickets for less than 30 runs can give England much hope of a victory. The draw, obviously, is completely off the table.
08:45 AM GMT
OVER 76: IND 309/5 (Jadeja 45 Bharat 9)
Rehan helps India break the shackles with a long hop that Jadeja swats square for four. The bowler tosses the next one up and Jadeja whisks it off his toes for a single. Bairstow comes into silly mid-off and is told he must wear a helmet so there’s a delay for one to come on.
Rehan manages to get one to spit up off the pitch but Bharat flinches away from the ball as it leapt towards his gloves.
Time for tea. India lead by 63.
08:41 AM GMT
From our correspondent
There was a good bit of Koolaid glugging by England last night. Ben Duckett’s post match verdict that Stokes may well have played the matchwinning innings and England had made an over par score is being exposed today. England were well short of making India sweat and while Stokes batted beautifully, first innings scores of 70 are not going to shape matches unless the Test is being played in a sandpit.
08:40 AM GMT
OVER 75: IND 304/5 (Jadeja 40 Bharat 9)
England have dried up the runs over the past 10 overs and Root racks up another maiden to make it 16 runs off the last 10 overs. Bharat keeps him out with bat and pad, using the full depth of his crease to play forward and back.
08:38 AM GMT
OVER 74: IND 304/5 (Jadeja 40 Bharat 9)
Rehan replaces Wood with seven overs to go before the new ball. Would you take it? He resumes with a maiden and has a leg-before shout turned down off the last ball when he hits Jadeja with a googly that seemed to have pitched outside leg.
08:34 AM GMT
OVER 73: IND 304/5 (Jadeja 40 Bharat 9)
Root has three men in an offside arc for Jadeja, short but not silly mid-off, short extra and short cover. And they save a couple of singles as Root plugs away outside the left-hander’s off-stump. After five dot balls he pushes the last further toewards middle and Jadeja uses the bounce to flip it off his hip for a single.
Joe Root, obviously feeling a bit down on luck, has just run 20 metres from first slip to change the bails. Who does he think he is? Stuart Broad?!
Root has bowled nicely here, but I can’t help but feel that if England had half a dozen reviews they’d have burnt the lot.
08:29 AM GMT
OVER 72: IND 303/5 (Jadeja 39 Bharat 9)
Wood with another over. Jadeja drills a single through cover off a ball hung outside off that didn’t reverse in but the next two do swing in to the right-hander who uses the angle to clip a single off the second one fine.
Jadeja picks the slower ball and flicks it for a single.
The 12th man and the Indian doc run on to give Jadeja some tablets.
08:24 AM GMT
OVER 71: IND 300/5 (Jadeja 37 Bharat 8)
Just a one-over spell for Leach who may be switching ends again. Root replaces him and tries lots of things: darts, slingers and big off-breaks. Jadeja flashes a drive at one that dips on him and slices it to short backward point. Leach dives forward but is a good metre short and is struck on the chin when it bounces. They run a single.
Root thinks he has Bharat caught at short leg off the last ball and celebrates but Paul Reiffel shakes his head and we wait for a TV replay. Root also shakes his head in disbelief. But it was a sound decision. He didn’t hit it, the replay shows.
08:20 AM GMT
OVER 70: IND 298/5 (Jadeja 36 Bharat 7)
Wood is running in hard but the ball is 69 overs old and isn’t reversing dramatically. He does make a couple veer in to the right-hander who blocks one then used the angle to tickle a single down to fine leg. Only one bouncer in the over and the ball sails safely over Bharat’s duck.
08:12 AM GMT
OVER 69: IND 295/5 (Jadeja 35 Bharat 5)
Mercifully it’s just a change of ends for Leach. Bharat flicks the left-hander’s off-break through mid-on. The longer he bowls the better Leach looks, suggesting rust rather than anything more serious. Jadeja plays out the rest of the over either defending or probing but not piercing the infield.
08:09 AM GMT
OVER 68: IND 294/5 (Jadeja 35 Bharat 4)
Wood jumps 180 degrees in his followthrough to bellow an appeal for lbw after skidding one into the left-handed Jadeja’s knee but he cannot convince the umpire that it was not heading down leg ... which it was. They trot a leg bye. Bharat pushes a single to mid-on to take the strike.
08:04 AM GMT
OVER 67: IND 292/5 (Jadeja 35 Bharat 3)
Jadeja pushes a single off Hartley through long on and Bharat almost succumbs to another Hartley pie. Talk about jam, eh? He chops his pull off the bottom edge wide of off-stump.
Leach is being hauled off again for a Mark Wood burst. Hartley on debut has bowled six overs more than England’s No1 spinner. He must be stiff/injured. India’s commentators are puzzled.
08:01 AM GMT
OVER 66: IND 291/5 (Jadeja 34 Bharat 3)
Maiden for Leach to Bharat,s strating with a big shout from slip, silly point and keepet for a feather through to Foakes. But the umpire is unmoved and rightly so as it missed the bat.
Rahul batted beautifully, between Foakes’s drop and that rank shot to get out to Hartley. The Foakes drop was not totally straightforward but has cost England 86 game-shaping runs. I wonder how fans would be reacting if Jonny Bairstow had the gloves.
Now, now, Will. You wouldn’t be accusing Jonny’s critics of double standards. They’re extremely consistent in their ... ahem, views.
07:56 AM GMT
OVER 65: IND 291/5 (Jadeja 34 Bharat 3)
Ravindra Jadeja skips down to Hartley and sticks him in the stands with a graceful left-hander’s swing that deposits the ball over long on.
But Hartley gets his man with a pie, baiting the trap his team-mates might say. Enter Bharat who gets off the mark first ball with a cover drive for three, Crawley saving one with a headlong dive and claw back.
07:51 AM GMT
Wicket!
Rahul c Rehan b Hartley 86 As Will said in the previous post. England have not had to ‘take’ a wicket. India have made gifts of them. It’s a dreadful long-hop and Rahul drags it down deep midwicket’s throat. Rehan repays the favour for his wicket. clinched by Hartley’s catch. FOW 288/5
07:50 AM GMT
OVER 64: IND 281/4 (Rahul 86 Jadeja 27)
It can be hard to discern from this performmce whether England’s spinners are badly undercooked or simply not good enough. It’s their misfortune that comparisons with Ashwin, Jadeja and Axar Patel are obvious but unfair. The number of bad balls that pollute otherwise good overs has been their undoing. It happens with rookie spinners and golden-arm part-timers. But Leach is also struggling for consistency, which he will blame on his long lay-off.
Anyway, better. Only the single off Leach’s 15th over.
The game has now officially slipped away from England. Feels like 100 would be a huge lead to deal with. It’s already 35, and the only wickets they’ve taken have been gifts. They’ve not had a bowled, lbw, or close catch.
07:45 AM GMT
Our experts' views
Amid the chat about how much India’s left-handers thrive against left-arm spin, worth recalling that Australia picked two specialist off spinners for their tour last year. Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy both thrived, often bowling around the wicket to India’s right-handers. It’s another reason why Shoaib Bashir could well come into the side in subsequent Tests, though you suspect England might be loathe to go in with only one seamer.
Sorry it has to be said. Ben Stokes is making life harder for his spinners by not posting a long on or long off. It is like the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston when Moeen Ali was bowling on the last day at Usman Khawaja and Travis Head and they kept lofting the ball back over his head. If Moeen had been fit there would have been more of a case for keeping the field up but his spinning finger was being shredded. Keeping faith with a spinner does not automatically mean keeping the straight fielders up
07:42 AM GMT
OVER 63: IND 281/4 (Rahul 86 Jadeja 27)
Rehan finishes his second spell with overall figures of 12-2-72-1 and is relieved by Hartley. The tall left0-hander’s shirt is untucked and exposes his waist and back when he wheels through his action.
A decent over is blemished as usual by one bad ball, a full toss, that Jadeja cashes in on by smacking it through pong on for four. Ker-ching!
Drinks – India lead by 35.
07:38 AM GMT
OVER 62: IND 276/4 (Rahul 85 Jadeja 23)
England’s selection is starting to have a whiff of the Gabba and Adelaide Oval in 2021 when they ignored the obvious and tried to think two Tests ahead. If so, this is the first serious selection mistake of the Stokes-McCullum era.
Just the single off Leach who is trying to give his captain some control. Can he manage the long spell that is going to be required?
07:35 AM GMT
OVER 61: IND 275/4 (Rahul 84 Jadeja 23)
Foakes and Rehan appeal for a leg-before when the latter skids one into Jadeja’s pads but it was outside the line. After exchanging singles, Jadeja raises the half-century partnership with a blistering off drive when the leg-spinner overpitches. Leaking boundaries late in the over is becoming England’s achilles heel.
07:30 AM GMT
OVER 60: IND 269/4 (Rahul 83 Jadeja 18)
Leach returns and Jadeja starts with an assault, striding down to heave him over midwicket for six. The all-rounder survives a raised finger with a successful review but then taps one that would have been catchable for a leg slip and follows that with a big swipe on the walk that goes to the moon and back but drops safe between the midwicket sweeper and mid on. They run a single.
07:27 AM GMT
NOT OUT
It missed the glove and wasn’t leg-before either, the ball would have missed leg stump.
07:25 AM GMT
India review
Jadeja c Pope b Leach Did he hit it? He reviewed immediately. Any glove?
07:22 AM GMT
OVER 59: IND 261/4 (Rahul 82 Jadeja 11)
Rehan comes round the wicket to KL who plays a wonderful inside-out cover drive for a mere two. Deserved more for artistic merit. Rehan gets his hand on a thumping on drive to save three and then almost bags Jadeja off a googly but the ball cannons into his body and falls short of Pope at short leg. Two balls later Jadeja picks the googly and collars it, punishing the bowler for a shorter lengtygth, and carts it for four through midwicket.
07:19 AM GMT
OVER 58: IND 254/4 (Rahul 79 Jadeja 7)
Five good balls from Joe Root, all dots, but a full toss ruins his figures as Jadeja chastises it through midwicket with a flick for four.
Ravi Shastri says England have to keep India to a lead of 80 or under, make 280 and set India 200 to make a game of it. A healthy India lead and I fear we may be looking at a three ininngs game.
07:14 AM GMT
OVER 57: IND 250/4 (Rahul 79 Jadeja 3)
Rahul has decided that Rehan has got to go and launches his first delivery into the stands at long on. One stride to get to the pitch and then the bat comes down in a parabola. After playing out three dot balls, Rahul devours a greasy Rehan pie, a horrible long hop, and smacks it over long on for a steepling six. pushing India into the lead.
India are four runs ahead.
07:10 AM GMT
OVER 56: IND 238/4 (Rahul 67 Jadeja 3)
Root thinks he has pinned Rahul from round the wicket. The ball pitched in line and turned back in to hit him above the knee roll in front of leg and middle but was probably going over. Chris Gaffaney says no. Root has been England’s best bowler by a country mile which makes his hour-long absence this morning so perplexing.
Ball-tracking tells us at the end of the over that it would have been umpire’s call.
How to play spin on turning pitches. Shreyas Iyer, and several England players, have shown how it should not be done: block, block, block then bash a big shot. The way to go is to stay busy and caress into the gaps, and rotate the strike, like KL Rahul and Joe Root. Can England learn by their second innings?
07:06 AM GMT
OVER 55: IND 234/4 (Rahul 65 Jadeja 1)
Rehan loses his length with a drag down but it’s on the stumps and skidding on, which makes Rahul’s back-foot punch square for four all the more impressive. He’s a fine player. Using his feet Rahul taps a single to mid-off and hares through. Jadeja gets off the mark with a leg glance that goes at pace through Pope’s legs at short leg for a single. Technically a chance but actually impossible.
Rahul ends the over by crunching a sweep for four. Leach’s spell is curtailed again at two overs and Root is replacing him.
07:02 AM GMT
OVER 54: IND 224/4 (Rahul 56 Jadeja 0)
England missed Leach this morning and he continues impressively to Jadeja, getting one to spit up and turn into the left-handr’s pad and loop up to short leg. England appeal, claiming an inside-edge or glove, but it was turn only and an accompanying puff of dust.
06:57 AM GMT
OVER 53: IND 223/4 (Rahul 55 Jadeja 0)
Rehan Ahmed has a backward short leg and a silly mid-on for Iyer because he doesn’t sweep in the orthodox sense. After two dot balls, he goes for the slog sweep, though, and picks out the only fielder on the legside boundary, not even making him move for it. Little wonder Iyer curses his luck.
After no England maidens this morning, Rehan Ahmed resumes with a big M and W sitting next to each other in the book.
06:53 AM GMT
Wicket!
Iyer c Hartley b Rehan 35 Picks the googly but smashes it straight down deep midwicket’s throat, 15cm in from the rope. Hartley takes it well. FOW 223/4
A WICKET FOR REHAN AHMED! 🙌#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/sFvZ0C9FGA
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) January 26, 2024
06:52 AM GMT
OVER 52: IND 223/3 (Rahul 55 Iyer 35)
Leach or ‘Leacher’, as Ben Foakes calls him, has a mid-off standing very straight and parallel with the return crease. Rahul almost drags on off an under edge when the ball turned away from his bat but crashes the ball into Foakes’ metatarsal instead. Just the single off the over when Iyer plays tip and run to Stokes at mid-on.
06:48 AM GMT
OVER 51: IND 222/3 (Rahul 55 Iyer 34)
Rehan Ahmed starts after lunch and starts well with big revs and variations of pace and flight that earns him a maiden. Jimmy Anderson is on as a sub for ... Mark Wood, I think. And he departs at the conclusion of the maiden over. Here’s Jack Leach who was moving gingerly this morning.
06:44 AM GMT
West Indies are on top Down Under
Australia are 25 for four after West Indies rallied to 311 after an early collapse. Woohoo!
06:38 AM GMT
Lunch verdict
England are still scrapping away but India close to a first innings lead at lunch on day two with seven wickets in hand.
Joe Root’s breakthrough third ball of the day, removing Jaiswal caught and bowled for 80, was just what England needed but their first innings total is looking significantly under par, particularly given the weakness of the spin attack and KL Rahul easing his way to a fifty.
Tom Hartley’s maiden Test wicket, Shubman Gill caught at midwicket, was a boost for him but it has been a strange morning. Jack Leach, England’s senior spinner with 124 Test wickets, has bowled just two overs. Hartley has sent down 11, Stokes putting his faith in the debutant or is Leach troubled by his back? He has looked a little stiff in the field, and remember this is his first match since May.
Jaiswal’s assault on day one is having a lingering effect. Hartley and Rehan have had defensive fields with no men around the bat and both bowled fuller, one-day cricket lengths, to protect themselves a little. It is understandable but is not going to bowl out this India side.
Mark Wood had a go at blasting out Shreyas Iyer but failed, although not easy on this pitch, while Root has been England’s best spinner but bowled only six overs.
England have been a bit flaccid in the field, India’s hard running between the wickets has led to a couple of fumbles. Ben Foakes missed an edge off Rahul on nought that was given as byes but had he grabbed it and appealed convincingly he may have got the wicket. England, remember, have no review left. Stokes lost a skier off Gill in the hazy sky and a long day is unfolding.
06:37 AM GMT
Our men in Hyderabad
@TelegraphSport lunchtime update from Hyderabad pic.twitter.com/BgRKExo9TQ
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) January 26, 2024
06:05 AM GMT
LUNCH: IND 222/3
England did OK in the first hour by contrast with yesterday but India have kicked on and are only 24 behind with seven wickets in hand.
England are in an awful pickle of their own making if Leach is unable to bowl much. Wood can’t either, meaning they have an attack made up for large spells of Root, Hartley and Rehan. Why only six overs for Root and 11 for Hartley who are chalk and cheese when it comes to turning the ball and threatening the batsmen.
06:03 AM GMT
OVER 50: IND 222/3 (Rahul 55 Iyer 34)
Good from Root to beat Iyer with flight and turn, provoking muddled footwork and a loss of balance. But no reward as the ball fizzed past the edge. Rahul takes a two and two singles, all into the legside, Iyer flicks a single to midwicket.
06:00 AM GMT
OVER 49: IND 217/3 (Rahul 51 Iyer 33)
Iyer ends the penultimate over before lunch by gorging on a shorter ball from Rehan Ahmed and pummeling for four off the back foot. Too often the pressure is released by a drag down.
05:57 AM GMT
OVER 48: IND 212/3 (Rahul 50 Iyer 29)
Root starts with a low full toss taht Rahul bunts through point for a single. Iyer slaps a shorter one through mid-off for four with a crashing cut. Excellent judgment of length from Iyer and he brings up the half-century partnership.
Iyer gives himself room to tap a n off-break to the cover sweeper for a single and Rahul, given a life by Foake’s drop and England’s burning of three reviews in 80 balls yesterday, moves to his own fifty, too, with a modest prod towards point.
We have to assume that Jack Leach’s back is too stiff this morning to let him bowl much, after seven months out. Match practice is indispensable in cases like that. Overall, England have to take every chance if they are to compete, and Ben Foakes missing KL Rahul on zero off a faint, regulation edge is going to be the killer.
05:51 AM GMT
OVER 47: IND 205/3 (Rahul 48 Iyer 24)
I have to say Dinesh Karthik is a fine commentator. His technical insights and playing knowledge of these bowlers and batsmen from batting against them or keeping behind them is second to none in the current global roster. Excellent, confident over from Rehan, almost gulling Iyer with the googly but the batsman adjusted in the nick of time.
Root is coming back for a couple of overs before lunch.
05:48 AM GMT
OVER 46: IND 203/3 (Rahul 47 Iyer 23)
Root is stretching at slip with vigorous hip bends and swivels as Hartley continues. The left-armer hits the sam to turn one away from Iyer who closed the face too soon but the ball loops off a leading edge safely. Five successive dot balls are followed by a strolled single by the two batsmen, in their navy India caps, after Iyer, with his diamond ear studs, eases a drive down to the cover sweeper
05:45 AM GMT
OVER 45: IND 202/3 (Rahul 47 Iyer 22)
Good start from Rehan but can he maintain his control for six balls? Rahul pushes a well-flighted leg break with the turn through cover for a single, Iyer does the same but wider of the fielder in the circle and jogs two before KL ends the over with a steer through point to retain the strike and take the partnership to 43.
05:42 AM GMT
Our men in Hyderabad
Starting to wonder if Jack Leach is struggling with his back. He has only bowled 2 overs this morning and is moving pretty stiffly in the field. This is his first game since the Lord’s Test against Ireland in May when he suffered a stress fracture of his back. He looked fit in training this week and has bulked up but there is nothing like bowling in a match. In Leach’s place, Hartley has bowled the entire morning apart from a one over break to change ends.
Tom Hartley’s figures were 9-0-63-0 last night, and he’s taken out of the attack with figures of 9-0-30-1 this morning. Much better control, although he was helped by Root prising out Jaiswal, who took a real liking to him.
Turns out Hartley is just swapping ends!
05:40 AM GMT
OVER 44: IND 198/3 (Rahul 46 Iyer 19)
What is this? Operation jam? Hartley’s preserve? A change of ends for Hartley not a breather. I’m sorry but this makes no sense. Root has been far more effective, taking a wicket and creating two decent catching chances that weren’t held, and yet hasn’t bowled since 4.30am.
India milk Hartley for three singles and shave England’s lead to 48.
05:36 AM GMT
OVER 43: IND 195/3 (Rahul 44 Iyer 18)
Good start from Rehan, beating Iyer with a big leg-break and then drawing an edge that fell 10cm short of Root’s dive at slip. He then diddles him with a googly that crashes into his gloves.
After four decent balls, thoigh, he drags one down and Iyer pans it on the pull between midwicket and mid-on for four. Young spinner’s disease there. Five good balls and a pie.
05:32 AM GMT
OVER 42: IND 191/3 (Rahul 44 Iyer 14)
Rahul swats the chin high bouncer that was delivered with pace but came up loopily off the pitch for a single. Iyer jumps across and jabs a single through cover before Rahul draws Wood’s fire and stamina by leaving two bumpers and defending a coupleof length balls, one that swung in late.
Hartley has been relieved at last and Rehan Ahmed is brought on to replace him. India trail by 55.
05:28 AM GMT
OVER 41: IND 189/3 (Rahul 43 Iyer 13)
Stokes’ vote of confidence in Hartley is commendable but is it reasonable? He has bowled all morning from this end and has racked up 18 of 41 overs. But Iyer, skittish against pace, is assured against this kind of spin and capitalises on a drag down by plonking it over cow corner for six.
Kevin Pietersen analyses Hartley’s release and concludes he is struggling to release the ball at the right time. Which, if true, is a major worry.
Wood probably has one more in the tank from the other end.
05:22 AM GMT
OVER 40: IND 181/3 (Rahul 43 Iyer 5)
Stokes post two men out on the hook for Rahul before Wood steams in. Rahul pulls the first from above his eyebrows, coming down on to a ball that doesn’t fly through, for a single. Iyer is treated to the perfume ball and he sways out of the way as it threatene dto trim his nostril hair outside off.
Wood pitches the next one up as a surprise ball, big inswinger and Iyer keeps it out via inside edge and pad. A bouncer swings too much to bother with and Foakes makes a good stop down the legside, then Iyer tucks a single off his ribs.
05:16 AM GMT
OVER 39: IND 179/3 (Rahul 42 Iyer 4)
Iyer beats Hartley’s throw to get home when Rahul called him through. The umpires sent it upstairs but he was in the crease before the ball even entered the frame. Iyer charges Hartley and drags a drive over midwicket for two. He was aiming for mid-on but had a rush of blood and used too much bottom hand. There was a cry of ‘Catch it!’ but it cleared the infield.
05:13 AM GMT
OVER 38: IND 175/3 (Rahul 41 Iyer 1)
Rahul tucks a single off his ribs and Wood has a chance at Iyer after only one ball. Wood goes for length and Iyer, with a braced front leg, wafts at it as it whistles past the edge. Wood keeps him guessing on when the short ball is coming by pitching the next one up too and Iyer defends. Now comes the short stuff. Iyer pulls out of hooking the off-stump bouncer and then pulls the next angling into his body around the corner for a single. Rahul, too, aborts a pull off a 92mph bouncer that dribbles through to Foakes on the second bounce.
05:01 AM GMT
OVER 37: IND 173/3 (Rahul 40 Iyer 0)
Tighter from Hartley on the threshold of drinks. Rahul whisks a single off his toes and Hartley ties Shreyas up with five dot balls which means Wood will have to bowl at Rahul again after a slurp.
04:59 AM GMT
OVER 36: IND 172/3 (Rahul 39 Iyer 0)
Wood breaches 90mph and Rahul takes him for successive fours, one streaky as he cuts off the bottom edge over the stumps down to fine leg but then plays a crisp back-foot punch through cover point. Wood drops shorter but the ball climbs only just above the waist and Rahul pivots to flick it off his hip with a horizontal bat for four. Not so much a pull as an upright lap. Wood had all six balls at Rahul, which wasn’t optimal, or part of the plan.
A huge storm has just hit my windows here in London. It’s blowing a hooley.
04:54 AM GMT
OVER 35: IND 159/3 (Rahul 26 Iyer 0)
Ravi Shastri, a left-arm spinner himself, shows that Hartley and Leach are undercutting the ball. The remedy is to have the seam pointing to third man but their grip has the seam a bit more horizontal. He shows Axar Patel’s release to emphasise the difference.
Hartley now has a short leg and an offside ring. He racks up three dot balls and then overpitches and Rahul digs out a single to mid-on. Gill then shoots himself in the foot and England’s elation for Hartley is palpable.
In comes Shreyas Iyer and he spoons his first shot back up the oitch but short of the rampant Hartley.
Joyous celebrations from England as Hartley gets off the mark! Very strange shot from Gill, who just picks out midwicket. They cannot believe it.
Shreyas Iyer has a famous weakness against the short ball (Iyer in Babylon...?). He walked out to bat in a cap, which has lasted only one ball, because Mark Wood has been brought on to bowl short at him.
04:48 AM GMT
Wicket!
Gill c Duckett b Hartley 23 A maiden Test wicket for Hartley – largely, it has to be said from batsman error, a lazy hoick across the line that cloths the ball to midwicket. He hangs his head as he walks off. Hartley, no wonder, gives us the full Imran Tahir. What a relief for him. FOW 159/3
Tom Hartley's 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁 in international Test cricket 🙌@tomhartley100 👏#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/Pp7lPXFG0F
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) January 26, 2024
The difference between the two sides is painfully obvious. India’s spinners bowl six good balls per over, England bowl four or five, at best. Bring on Dharamsala where the seamers might come into it!
04:44 AM GMT
OVER 33: IND 157/2 (Gill 23 Rahul 24)
In contrast to Pat Cummins, who patently didn’t trust Todd Murphy at Headingley and the Oval and used him too late, Stokes is trying to give a vote of confidence to Hartley but the game is getting away from them with every over. He goes for only one run. Ravi Shastri shows that neither he nor Leach are actually landing the ball on the seam consistently ... no wonder it’s not turning much. You can skid it off the leather but there won’t be much turn however hard you spin the ball with your fingers.
04:40 AM GMT
OVER 32: IND 156/2 (Gill 23 Rahul 23)
Root is taken off, which is a very strange decision unless he is going to change ends. Leach replaces him and starts with Rahul raking an easy single. The next ball is a full toss and Gill skelps it for four through midwicket. After a couple of decent balls, Gill drives one that is overpitched and steals a single to cover and Rahul cuts one that is short for another.
These two left-armers have been awful at maintaining a consistent length so far in the match.
Root hasn’t changed ends. Hartley continues. Baffling. Happy to be proved wrong but this seems wrongheaded to me. England’s left-armers are cannon fodder with their erratic lengths. There’s a four-ball in every Root over but he creates chances.
It’s been a frustrating morning for England so far. They’ve been a little scrappy in the field, with Foakes dropping Rahul and Stokes not picking up Gill’s skier. Stokes has made some interesting decisions with the ball; he is absolutely desperate to buy Hartley that first wicket.
04:33 AM GMT
OVER 31: IND 149/2 (Gill 18 Rahul 21)
Hartley is bowling too full and the two right-handers milk him for three singles until Rahul tries to cutand the ball vaults the dge and fizzes into Foakes’ gloves. Rahul takes the strike off the last ball with a clump through cover.
04:29 AM GMT
OVER 30: IND 145/2 (Gill 16 Rahul 19)
By contrast with Hartley, Root has a short mid-on, slip, and short leg. Bounce from the off-spinner threatens the gloves as Rahul defends tentatively, being forced back by Root’s length. But when he gets his oine wrong and errs outside leg stump, Rahul sweeps past the man in the circle’s dive for four.
Root’s turn is helping hom catch the inside half of Rahul’s bat as he defends, keeping short leg awake and Rahul on his toes.
04:25 AM GMT
OVER 29: IND 141/2 (Gill 16 Rahul 15)
Rahul has taken the measure of Hartley and launches his counter-attack now, using his feet to drive him through mid-on for four and following it next ball with an even better drive for the same result.
Stokes is such a good fielder he must have lost that ball in the sun. How costly will that prove?
That wicket brought Hartley into the game straightaway. Mark Wood was going to take the first over at the pavilion end to partner Root but with the left-hander out, Stokes seized his chance to bring on Hartley, who settled in well bowling to the two right-handers. The Kohli factor could have been massive for Hartley. It is very different after a mauling on his first day in Test cricket to be bowling at KL Rahul and not the biggest name in world cricket. Stokes sensibly gave him a bit of protection, with no catchers around the bat, which you suspect will change quickly if he keeps landing it well.
04:23 AM GMT
OVER 28: IND 132/2 (Gill 16 Rahul 6)
Rahul rocks back into his crease to cut for two down to point. Lovely shot. But Root continues to trouble them, releasing the ball late, forcing Rahul to close the bat too soon and send a leading edge back up the pitch that falls short of the bowler. After Rahul’s flick for a single, Gill charges Root and cloths a drive off the toe high to mid-on. Stokes can’t pick it up and, although only 5m away loses it in the sun and the ball lands safe. They run two. Stokes spreads his arms in disbelief. Big chance, big miss.
04:19 AM GMT
OVER 27: IND 127/2 (Gill 14 Rahul 3)
Another tight over from Hartley. It might be that the caution of Rahul and Gill by contrast with Jaiswal’s fearlessness is helping but it should work wonders for the left-arm spinner’s confidence after yesterday’s mauling. Just the single, to Rahul, eased to mid-on.
04:15 AM GMT
OVER 26: IND 126/2 (Gill 14 Rahul 2)
Root from round the wicket looks dangerous and is really imparting some rip on the ball, varying the height of his arm and pace. Contrasting styles from the two right-handers. Gill opens his stance to this line of attack, Rahul stays side on. Rahul shuffles back into his crease to push a single to cover.
What a moment! Ben Stokes floated the idea of Joe Root opening the bowling to Jaiswal before the game. He didn’t do it yesterday, but starts this morning and gets him straight away! A smart little field change from Stokes. Pope went from short leg to silly mid-off, and Stokes at mid-off went deeper. That encouraged the drive, and he hit it straight back to Root!
04:12 AM GMT
OVER 25: IND 125/2 (Gill 14 Rahul 1)
Rahul starts nervously against Hartley and gives what might have been a chance had England had a short leg in for the right-hander. They are favouring a silly point so far for the left-arm spinner. Better from Hartley, who still has a spring in his step.
04:10 AM GMT
OVER 24: IND 124/2 (Gill 14 Rahul 0)
Jaiswal blocks Root’s first ball as the first verse of Jerusalem resounds around the stands. He uses his feet to launch the off-spinner over the top for four to the second ball but is out before the second verse is finished, misjudging the flight and eyes like saucers because mid-on is enticingly up, spooning a chance back up the pitch.
In comes KL Rahul for his first ever knock at No4. And Root seems to draw the edge next ball but Foakes spills it, tipping it round the post. It wouldn’t have mattered because the umpire gave byes despite the sound of a nick and England have no reviews left, which was largely Root’s fault. He was the lead advocate for all three yesterday, two of them truly terrible choices.
04:02 AM GMT
Wicket!
Jaiswal c&b Root 80 Well, well, well. Used his feet and chipped the ball off the inside toe of the bat back to the bowler. What a bowling change by England ... what took you so long! FOW 123/2
Joe Root's got him! 💥🏏
It's all happening in the first over of the day 🙌#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/xwGa9QFGae— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) January 26, 2024
04:01 AM GMT
Joe Root is straight into the attack
And will come round the wicket.
England start with no reviews, all three burned within 14 overs last night, partly because Stokes was so keen to get a wicket for Hartley. Wood this morning on Talksport: “We didn’t get them right. Stokesy when he came in the dressing room last night said ‘good reviews today lads!’ We are relying on umpires looking in our favour.”
03:57 AM GMT
Eoin Morgan's pre-play thoughts
We are in for an absolute box office first session. India’s domination with the bat puts them in a commanding position. England will come out with the mindset that they are not out of this match yet. Rohit Sharma showed it’s how you manage your spinners [that makes all the difference] and England will have to be more consistent and utilise areas of dryness today. We will see lots of character and fight from them this morning.
03:43 AM GMT
Preview: 'Attack afresh'
Good morning and welcome live coverage of day two of the first India vs England Test of this five-match, Anthony de Mello Trophy, series. A very good day for the hosts and a mixed one for the touring side has put India in the ascendancy but as the relentlessly upbeat Ben Duckett said last night, they would have a bite to eat, play some cards and attack the match afresh in the morning. It’s the England team’s equivalent of a Scottish footballe’rs ‘we pick wersels up and we go again’ and makes a change from the ‘Duncan days’ or ‘Farby front-ups’ after gruelling sessions when Messrs Fletcher and Farbrace used to come out and offer their apologies.
For all that India have nine wickets in hand and trail by merely 127 runs, it is true, as both Michael Atherton and PCR Tufnell said yesterday, that a couple of quick wickets changes everything. And they are quite right. Except that it’s not immediately apparent who would take them given the performances during the evening session. Mark Wood is in the side to blow away the tail and was sent out for a graze in the long pasture after only two overs, Jack Leach looked like an orthodox spinner who may well roll a side in the fourth innings but is not Graeme Swann in the first or second, and Tom Hartley and Rehan Ahmed look like precisely like what they are: extremely raw.
Joe Root, then? Possibly. He does give it a rip, should trouble the left-handed Yashavi Jaiswal, and bowled well on the last tour. It was strange that he didn’t get a few overs last night after Jaiswal gave Hartley some fearful tap, and also that Wood wasn;t given a second gallop. Perhaps doing so would have sowed too many early doubts about the selection which at this stage looks gravely mistaken. Only wickets will change that perception ... time for someone to stand up.
