IND vs ENG | Twitter reacts as India strengthen stranglehold over England with dominant batting on Day 2

01/26/2024

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India batted through Friday in the opening Test at Hyderabad to go past England's first innings total of 246 and secure a lead of 175 runs with two wickets still in hand. KL Rahul was the headline act with a relatively quick 86 while Ravindra Jadeja remained unbeaten on 81 at stumps.

Brief Scores : E‌NG 246; IND (119/1 overnight) 421/7 (KL Rahul 86, Ravindra Jadeja 81*; Joe Root 2/77)

After feasting on Tom Hartley's inexperience on Day 1, Yashasvi Jaiswal made his intentions to continue the onslaught known early on by hitting part-timer Joe Root for a boundary on the third ball of the day. However, the veteran had the last laugh as he took a sharp return catch two balls later to send the opener on his way for 80. However, it made little consequence to the flow of play as Shubman Gill continued to dig in while KL Rahul took over the attacking duties. The latter struck three boundaries early on and his partner tried to follow suit but only managed to find midwicket, handing Hartley a maiden Test calp. Undeterred, Rahul responded by hitting Rehan Ahmed for three boundaries in the following over, eventually getting to his 14th Test half-century shortly before Lunch with equality just 24 runs away at the break.

Shreyas Iyer, who had got into the act as well after a sedate start, holed out while slogging in the third over after play's resumption bringing Ravindra Jadeja to the crease. Meanwhile, Rahul looked set for a ton and was just 14 short of the mark when his near-flawless stay came to a sudden end as he mistimed a massive heave off a Rehan half-tracker. Regardless, the new duo of Srikar Bharat and Jadeja continued to frustrate the opposition by stitching the sixth consecutive 35-plus partnership in the innings, the latter getting to his fifty in the process, with Bharat ultimately trapped LBW for 41. Ravichandran Ashwin, in a welcome change for the English, lasted just 11 deliveries courtesy of a ridiculous mishap that had him comprehensively run-out. The southpaw duo of Axar Patel and Jadeja saw India through to stumps safely thereafter, the former ending the day with a final flourish of 4, 6, 4 to take his own score to 35 and India's lead to 175.

Spinner Anderson!

— Glennmax (@maxglenn425)

GOAT Axar

"Be careful. You think you're into the tail then Axar Patel comes out to bat."
— CricBlog ✍ (@cric_blog)

Destroyed

England's bowling plans
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E)

India's domination

The Body language of Wood and Rehan isn't good, looks like they want to go home.
— coach lucas (@lucasr15sky)

Absolutely2

New career for ?

Make sure you bat right handed as well!
— simon hughes (@theanalyst)

Utter dominance

India haven’t lost a home Test series in the last 11 years winning 14 consecutive series in this period. They have lost just 3 out of their last 46 Test matches. Utter dominance and the biggest challenge for BazBall.
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad)

Dominant day

A really dominant day for India with the bat. They’ll be thinking of an innings victory at this stage. All eyes on tomorrow!!
— Nikesh Rughani (@NikeshRughani)

True

Yashasvi Jaiswal has not done much in south Africa but he was playing Ranji matches till last year.

He is going to be the man for me against England on rank turner. If he fires at the top of the order then half job is done.
— Sujeet Suman (@sujeetsuman1991)

Long day