As India’s innings folded for 587, there was a collective sigh across the ground. Finally, the ordeal was over for England after 150 overs of toil. The England supporters all felt they could look ahead to two hours of entertainment. The openers would come out and smash the Indian bowling around. Without Jasprit Bumrah, this wasn’t an attack to bother about and it was time to make the most of this batting deck.
It started as planned. As Zak Crawley hit Akash Deep for two boundaries in the first over itself, the crowd found voice. This is what they had come to see. Bazball. But then, something dramatic happened. Akash, replacing the great Bumrah, found inspiration to bowl an over he will forever remember. Ben Duckett, centurion in the first Test, got a ripper and all he could do was edge it to slips. And yes, India did not drop the chance.
For many, it was an aberration. In came Ollie Pope, again a centurion from the Leeds Test. That was when it happened. Akash ran in and produced another beauty that squared up Pope. Much like what had happened with Bumrah in Leeds, when it had gone through the vacant third-slip area. This time round, it went to KL Rahul. He juggled it once, but then safely pouched it to the complete bewilderment of the crowd. England were 13-2, and it was game on.
In all of this, Mohammed Siraj, who had bowled a couple of probing overs, did not have much say. Now, it was his turn. He ran in hard and one could see the effort. He had to be rewarded. And Crawley, who had started well, was the man at the receiving end. A terrific delivery, and yet again, the slips were in action. All catches pouched and that defined India’s day. While Joe Root and Harry Brook played out the next one hour, there were enough chances created by India to give them hope going into day 3. It was a perfect day, and it can only get better for India from here on with the same kind of effort.
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