India secured their hold on the second Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Edgbaston as KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal provided them with a solid beginning in the second innings, following an excellent bowling performance by Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep.
India were at 64/1 in 13 overs at the close of Day Three on Friday, with a commanding 244-run lead over England.
While Jaiswal was sent back for 28, his swift stand with Rahul ensured India extended their lead well past the 200-run mark in no time. Rahul was left on 28 at stumps, as Karun Nair was stable at the other end on seven.
India's second innings started well, Rahul driving elegantly by Brydon Carse to get an early boundary. Jaiswal then made the most of some short-pitched bowling by Carse and Chris Woakes, hitting several fours. Rahul too was in touch with drives and cuts that came crisp and picked up three boundaries off Woakes. Jaiswal followed his aggressive intent and flicked Josh Tongue for four, but Tongue struck back to get the left-hander out with a ball that seamed back in sharply.
Earlier during the day, India's bowlers performed a superb 180-run first-innings lead. Siraj took 6-70—his first five-wicket haul in England and fourth overall in Test cricket—while Akash Deep assisted him with 4-88. All 10 English wickets fell to the duo.
England's seven-wicket reply, which had collapsed to 84/5 before dawn, was turned around by a magnificent 303-run fightback by Harry Brook and Jamie Smith. Brook illuminated the innings with a mesmerising 158 off 234 balls that contained 17 fours and a six. Smith, for his part, held firm with an unbeaten 184—now England's wicketkeeper record in Tests—comprising 21 fours and a six.
But after the dismissal of Brook, the innings lost shape in a hurry. England went from 387/5 to 407 all out in a mere 7.2 overs, thanks to the benefit of the second new ball. Six of their batsmen achieved ducks—creating an uncommon record of the most zeroes in a 400-plus Test score.
The second session after lunch witnessed Brook score three boundaries from Ravindra Jadeja, taking him to his fifth 150+ Test innings. But the introduction of the new ball changed the gears. Akash Deep sent down another gem to get through Brook's defense and knock over his off-stump. It was downhill from there for wickets.
Chris Woakes pushed a enticing delivery from Akash to first slip, while Siraj struck twice in succession—trapping Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue lbw with deliveries that seamed in. Siraj then greeted Shoaib Bashir with a blazing bouncer that hit helmet, then dispatched him with another quick in-ducker which crashed into the stumps. Offgoing Siraj having six wickets to his account, teammate Jasprit Bumrah hugged him in celebration.
Brief Scores:
India: 587 & 64/1 in 13 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 28, KL Rahul 28*; Josh Tongue 1-12)
England: 407 all out in 89.3 overs (Jamie Smith 184*, Harry Brook 158; Mohammed Siraj 6-70, Akash Deep 4-88)
India ahead by 244 runs
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