Key events
Ali Martin’s report
Some additional reading direct from the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium.
Right, that’ll be enough from me. India are all set up to go level in this series … but this England side are pretty good at making us all look silly. It seems weird to say while Rohit Sharma is still out there, but the man to get first tomorrow is his partner, Yashasvi Jaiswal, the double-centurion from the first innings who is strumming it at the moment. We’ll be back tomorrow so come back here for the fun. Go well!
Elsewhere, at the Under-19 World Cup, this madness has happened. It’ll be all over your socials today.
“Hamza Sheikh is probably going to be absolutely livid!” 😠
Should England’s Hamza Sheikh have been ruled out in this Under-19 Cricket World Cup Zimbabwe clash? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/nVbMlFaQQm
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) February 3, 2024
Jasprit Bumrah, who changed everything today, has his say: “In India if you want to take wickets you have to learn to bowl reverse swing because the new ball doesn’t do a lot sometimes so how do you take wickets? As a child I’ve grown up watching seeing reverse-swing set-ups, seeing legendary bowlers bowling magical deliveries so that is something that really inspired me.”
Hard to think of many better practitioners today of the reversing ball.
Stumps: India 28-0 (lead England by 171 runs)
5th over: India 28-0 (Rohit 13, Jaiswal 15) Rehan Ahmed gets a twirl and the boundaries refuse to stop – just a touch short from the leggie and Rohit cuts away for four. And that’s all for the day, one that is undoubtedly India’s. They lead by 171 runs, the openers enjoying themselves during that mini-session at the end.
4th over: India 23-0 (Rohit 8, Jaiswal 15) Jaiswal’s bat swing – relaxed, free, fearless – powers Bashir down the ground for four and then cuts behind point for another boundary. And then another shot laced down the ground.
3rd over: India 11-0 (Rohit 8, Jaiswal 3) No real movement for Anderson with this new ball, with just a Jaiswal single off the over.
2nd over: India 10-0 (Rohit 8, Jaiswal 2) Shoaib Bashir takes the new ball from the other end – he lands it pretty well against Jaiswal, who eventually gets off strike with a punch to long-off. Rohit tucks into the offie immediately, though, caressing through the covers for four.
1st over: India 5-0 (Rohit 4, Jaiswal 1) No messing about: Rohit sees a bit of width and slashes hard to find four behind point. India are up and running.
Out they come – Jaiswal and Rohit. Anderson will open up, and boy do England need a wicket or two tonight.
“The lead is no longer formidable or scary,” says krishnamoorthy v. “The only hitch is England needing to bat in the 4th innings. Am counting on Ben ‘Houdini’ Stokes to pull yet another rabbit out of his bottomless hat.”
England all out for 253 – India lead by 143 runs
England were going well on 114-1, led by Zak Crawley’s lovely 76. But he fell and then came Jasprit Bumrah, ripping through the middle order with the reversing ball, his final figures helping him past the landmark of 150 Test wickets. Kuldeep bowled well, too, taking three for 71. England, once again, are going to have to do something pretty special here.
WICKET! Anderson lbw Bumrah 6 (England 253 all out)
Bashir advances down the pitch in an attempt to hit Bumrah to Woking but doesn’t get anything on it. And then, finally, Jasprit gets Jimmy: it’s full, at the pads, and it’s plumb. Six wickets for 45 runs – a masterful display from Bumrah.
55th over: England 252-9 (Anderson 6, Bashir 7) Anderson gets England to 250! He nails the conventional sweep off Kuldeep for four and then tries a reverse-sweep, which he misses, but still collects a couple of byes.
54th over: England 245-9 (Anderson 2, Bashir 6) Anderson and Bashir survive another Bumrah set – the dream of 250 remains alive.
53rd over: England 243-9 (Anderson 1, Bashir 5) Bashir, in for his first Test dig, tries to pummel Mukesh down the ground; the bowler puts out a hand but can’t hold on. Then comes a gorgeous whip for four – Harsha Bhogle’s wondering why Bashir’s batting below Anderson and I reckon he’s got a point.
Here’s this from a fellow OBO-er.
Never mind the wickets, feel the maidens.
(In this Test, to the nearest whole number)
Bumrah 1 in every 2 overs
Anderson 1 in 6
Other Englishmen 1 in 17
Other Indians 1 in 35#INDvENG @tahahash— Tim de Lisle (@TimdeLisle) February 3, 2024
52nd over: England 239-9 (Anderson 1, Bashir 1) Anderson survives an lbw review from India as Bumrah chases a sixth.
WICKET! Hartley c Gill b Bumrah 21 (England 234-9)
Bumrah deservedly has five, Hartley going for the big, stonking drive but edging to Gill, who can’t seem to drop any today.
51st over: England 230-8 (Hartley 17, Anderson 1) Anderson makes room for an off-side smash off Mukesh, but only connects with air. “Thanks for the excellent OBO action as always,” writes Geoff Savage. “Except for… ‘This is bubbling into a very decent stand for England’, which immediately resulted in the inevitable outcome that such sentences always lead to on the OBO.”
England were doing brilliantly until I came along, to be honest. My first act was to report on Zak Crawley’s dismissal, and it’s been pretty much downhill for them since.
50th over: England 230-8 (Hartley 17, Anderson 1) A friend, who remains positive, has messaged to remind me that James Anderson’s highest Test score of 81 came against India and that he does love a reverse sweep.
WICKET! Stokes b Bumrah 47 (England 229-8)
The player of the day – Jasprit Bumrah – takes the ball again. And, of course, he delivers. Stokes’ off stump is sent flying, the ball keeping a touch low, and Bumrah has 150 Test wickets.
49th over: England 229-7 (Stokes 47, Hartley 17) Rohit turns back to pace, Mukesh coming on to bowl at Hartley. The Lancs man sees off four dots before driving through the off side for a couple, and then clips through leg for four. This is bubbling into a very decent stand for England.
48th over: England 216-7 (Stokes 47, Hartley 11) Stokes goes down the pitch to Ashwin and finds four. There really are few things better in world cricket than watching him bat with the tail – can’t take your eyes off him.
47th over: England 214-7 (Stokes 40, Hartley 10) Kuldeep is swept around the corner by Stokes for one, and England now trail India by 190, which was the first-innings lead the hosts claimed in the first Test. The difference here, of course, is that England will have to bat last. Hartley closes the over with a terrific shot, launching the ball over long-on for six.
46th over: England 205-7 (Stokes 38, Hartley 3) Ben Stokes is starting to cook. He gets the slog-sweep right to smash Ashwin for six and take England past 200.
45th over: England 196-7 (Stokes 29, Hartley 3) Kuldeep goes short and Stokes pulls away for four. The batter then cuts off the back foot, producing an edge that flies past Rohit Sharma at slip for another boundary – I think he may have got his fingertips on it, but you’d be harsh to call that a chance.
Kim Thonger writes: “If Stokes can manufacture a victory from this position, I do not think there is a suitable word left in the English language to describe him. It would be his greatest escape act, but the French word prestidigitateur might suffice.”
44th over: England 185-7 (Stokes 19, Hartley 2) Ashwin now has two left-handers to toy with. Hartley advances forward to slap to the leg-side for a couple.
43rd over: England 182-7 (Stokes 18, Hartley 0) Tom Hartley, who played two impressive knocks on debut, walks in and misreads Kuldeep’s googly – there’s an lbw shout but not a big one.
WICKET! Rehan c Gill b Kuldeep 6 (England 182-7)
Uh-oh. Kuldeep bowls a drag-down, Rehan shapes up for a big heave but doesn’t get it off the middle of his bat. Instead, he swats it straight to Shubman Gill at short midwicket.
42nd over: England 181-6 (Stokes 17, Rehan 6) Stokes’ kryptonite, Ravichandran Ashwin, is in the building. The left-hander nabs a single, the only run off the over.
41st over: England 180-6 (Stokes 16, Rehan 6) Stokes tries to go down the ground to Kuldeep, but doesn’t get the desired connection – you sense he wants to launch a counterattack here. But the wrist-spinner delivers a fine over, ripping that ball hard as England collect three singles.
Simon McMahon writes: “If England win from here, Taha, it’ll make last week’s victory in Hyderabad look like a walk in the park.”
40th over: England 177-6 (Stokes 14, Rehan 5) Bumrah continues, trying out his yorker on Rehan, who deals with it pretty well. A sparkling drive follows from the England leggie, but Axar gets down low at cover to stop the ball and knock down the stumps at the striker’s end – Rehan’s safe, though. I’m expecting Bumrah to try out a slower off-cutter on Rehan, having got him with one in the first Test … and it eventually comes out, but Rehan blocks it out. A drive through mid-off packed with flair rounds off the over, Rehan picking up four.
39th over: England 173-6 (Stokes 14, Rehan 1) So Kuldeep joins in on the party. Rehan Ahmed meets Stokes, which could lead to a bit of lower-order fun.
WICKET! Foakes b Kuldeep 6 (England 172-6)
Foakes is undone by the flight of Kuldeep, who get some lovely drop before rattling off stump. He played for extra turn that wasn’t there, the ball spinning just enough to come back and hit. And now we’re into the tail.
38th over: England 172-5 (Stokes 14, Foakes 6) Bumrah moves it away from Foakes before nipping it into the right-hander. The England keeper then clips the ball down the leg side for four. An outside edge follows, the ball dropping short of second slip. A yorker rounds off the over, one in which Bumrah showed off all his tricks.
37th over: England 166-5 (Stokes 14, Foakes 1) The Stokes rescue job (note to self: delete this if Bumrah gets him in five minutes) begins with a boundary off Kuldeep.
36th over: England 159-5 (Stokes 8, Foakes 0) Bumrah has 3-3 from his last six overs. Ben Stokes, England are gonna need you to do your thing again.
WICKET! Bairstow c Gill b Bumrah 25 (England 159-5)
Bumrah tries out his inswinging yorker on Bairstow, but it’s not as lethal as his Pope delivery, the ball dug out to the leg-side by England’s No 5. But then the wicket! It’s like the Root one, with the ball in the channel outside off and Bairstow unable to resist – he flashes and edges to first slip. It’s a very good low grab from Gill. The great Indian fast bowler is running through England.
35th over: England 158-4 (Bairstow 25, Stokes 8) Stokes doesn’t middle his sweep off Kuldeep … but the ball lands safely at deep midwicket, and he nabs three.
34th over: England 155-4 (Bairstow 24, Stokes 5) There’s half an appeal from Bumrah as he thuds one into Bairstow’s thigh pad. The right-hander plays it safe for now, blocking out for a maiden.
And we’re back. So is Bumrah, who hands his cap over and takes the ball. Oh yeah, this is gonna be good.
Wowzers.
“Uh oh. After all Jimmy’s efforts too,” writes a concerned Vanessa Edwards. Simon McMahon is more interested in Jasprit Bumrah’s lid. “Bumrah has a really fine head of hair. Thick, dark and glossy, it may well be even better than Jimmy Anderson’s, which for a long time I didn’t think was possible. Two greats of the game, with contrasting styles. And they can bowl a bit too.”
Tea: England 155-4 (trail by 241 runs)
Bairstow’s gameplan against spin seems simple: anything leg-sidish is blocked, anything outside off must go. He gets a single before Stokes nails a sweep for four to close the over and the session. It’s been India’s afternoon, though, with England four down and still plenty behind.
32nd over: England 150-4 (Bairstow 23, Stokes 1) So Bumrah’s off the field … which means Mukesh is back into the attack. That’ll be a relief for England, though Mukesh can get that ball to reverse, too. He reminds me quite a bit of Olly Stone with his front-on action. Bairstow sees a bit of width and punches beautifully through point – that’s a shot he nails when he’s in form.
31st over: England 143-4 (Bairstow 16, Stokes 1) Kuldeep replaces Axar and he’s too short to begin with: Bairstow cuts away for four. The wrist-spinner then tightens up his line and length, but Bairstow’s still able to knock one into the off-side for one to close the over.
30th over: England 138-4 (Bairstow 11, Stokes 1) Bumrah gets to go full pelt at Stokes, making that reverse-swinging ball dance towards England’s captain. Stokes doesn’t bother going on the attack – he sees out a maiden.
29th over: England 138-4 (Bairstow 11, Stokes 1) Bairstow and Stokes knock Axar around for a single each.
Phil Withall writes: “Not entirely sure I’ll be emotionally strong enough to see this test out. My optimism index has endured such massive swings since lunch, that another three days could well be the end of me. I love test cricket but, my, it’s draining…” Unclear whether Phil sent this before or after that Pope dismissal.
28th over: England 136-4 (Bairstow 10, Stokes 0) Stokes leaves the last ball of the over well alone. England are in a bit of bother.
WICKET! Pope b Bumrah 23 (England 136-4)
They’ve just shown Bumrah’s set-up to Root – the quick was getting the ball to move both ways in the lead-up, an inswinger preceding the killer outswinger. Root, previously a master in India, has had a tough start to this tour, with scores of 29, 2 and 5 so far.
Pope clips Bumrah down the leg-side for a couple but then a staggering delivery! Bumrah fires in a stunning inswinger that uproots two stumps – that is unreal. It tailed in viciously and at serious pace. Bumrah has changed the game in the space of two overs.
27th over: England 134-3 (Pope 21, Bairstow 10) Bairstow begins confidently against Axar, cutting away for four and ending the over with a lovely drive through the covers for another boundary. He’s staying nice and leg-side to the spinner, opening himself up for plenty of off-side hits.
26th over: England 124-3 (Pope 21, Bairstow 0) Bumrah greets Bairstow with a fierce yorker into the pads, angling down the leg-side. India go up in appeal but everyone knows that isn’t hitting – they don’t bother with a review.
WICKET! Root c Gill b Bumrah 5 (England 123-3)
Some bowler, this Bumrah fella. He ties down Root with four dots and then unleashes the killer blow: angled in, seam beautifully upright, jags away, forces the prod from Root, and the outside edge is snaffled by first slip.
25th over: England 123-2 (Pope 21, Root 5) Pope plays a nice little dab to fine leg for a couple – he’s into the twenties, slowly but surely getting a little more comfortable. Axar then unleashes a beaut: fired in before turning sharply past Root’s outside edge. Yeah, nobody’s playing that.
24th over: England 119-2 (Pope 18, Root 4) Bumrah returns, with Rohit Sharma realising that there’s a bit of reverse here to work with. The quick gets the penultimate ball to explode off the surface past Pope, but England’s No.3 avoids giving away a maiden with a clip through the leg side for one.
