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India vs England 2021: You Can See The Grit And Determination In Jonny Bairstow- VVS Laxman
Former India batsman VVS Laxman was impressed with the counter-attacking partnership between Jonny Bairstow and Ollie Pope in the first session on Day 2 at the Oval. Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav had routed through the English top-order by picking up 5 wickets for 62 runs late on Day 1 and on the Day 2 morning.
However, then, Bairstow and Pope took the attack to the change bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur with a flurry of boundaries – some nicely caressed, some disdainfully put away. The pair raced the score to 139 at lunch, much closer to India’s first innings total of 191.
VVS Laxman heaped praise over Bairstow, who has got starts throughout the series but hasn’t been able to convert any of the innings into a really big score – he has notched up one fifty, while 3 scores between 20 and 30 before the fourth Test.
“I think England is ahead because of the partnership between Jonny Bairstow and Ollie Pope. Jonny Bairstow right from the first Test match was in excellent form, [but] he was not able to convert into a big score, and you can see the grit and determination when he is batting out there in the middle,” VVS Laxman told ESPNcricinfo.
Pope is the future of the English batting line-up: VVS Laxman
VVS Laxman waxed lyrical for 23-year-old Ollie Pope, terming him, and Zak Crawley as the “future of English batting line-up”. Pope, who averages 31.50 in 19 Tests so far, has immense potential as was highlighted in his first-class average of 50.86.
Pope, who is returning to the side after an injury, supported Bairstow very well while tackling the Indian bowlers.
“Pope was so good. He is someone who is making a comeback. He along with Zak Crawley are the future of English batting line-up. I think the way he was moving forward to play the full ball – he looked proactive. That’s great news for England fans – because he is a youngster with a lot of potential,” the 46-year-old former batsman stated.
At 139/5 at Lunch on Day 2, the game is slightly titled towards the hosts. But the scales have moved from one team to another for the most part of the series.
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