After being bundled out for merely 107 runs in the first innings, the Indian team failed to perform with the ball too. Despite having a good assistance from the pitch, the Indian bowlers were unable to gain maximum advantage of the situations.

The Englishmen displayed resilience and patience, virtues that were missing from the Indian innings. Mohammed Shami emerged as the most successful Indian bowler as he took three wickets in 19 overs, but the overall performance was largely disappointing.

India’s former worries of failing to take wickets of the lower-order batsmen came to haunt them back again, as Johnny Bairstow and Chris Woakes played superb knocks each to ensure that England gained an excellent lead over the visitors.

 Woakes and Bairstow managed to stitch a partnership of 189 runs for the sixth wicket, as the game slipped away from India’s hands furthermore. The Indian bowlers tried hard, often hitting the appropriate lengths and also varying accordingly.

However, both the batsmen applied themselves to the situation well and dismantled the Indian bowling lineup with their strokes and maturity on the crease. Woakes is unbeaten at 120 runs whilst Bairstow was dismissed by Pandya just seven runs short of his century.

Kuldeep Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin bowled a total of 26 overs, but both ended up remaining wicketless. The manner in which Woakes neutralized Ashwin’s threat played a big role in England taking such a massive lead of 250 runs with four wickets remaining.

With Sam Curran and Woakes still on the crease, the misery does not seem to be ending soon enough for India.

 

Scores:

IND - 107/10