The Indian cricket team asserted its dominance on the second day of the 1st Test against England, ending the day at 421/7 and securing a substantial lead of 175 runs. Ravindra Jadeja (81) and Axar Patel (35) are currently at the crease, aiming to extend India's lead even further.
The day witnessed a commanding performance from KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, who forged an impressive 84-run partnership. Rahul, in particular, showcased his batting prowess, playing shots effortlessly, while Iyer provided crucial support by rotating the strike. However, Iyer's departure at 35, caught by Tom Hartley off Rehan Ahmed, and Rahul's dismissal at 86, courtesy of Tom Hartley, brought a halt to their promising partnership.
Undeterred by the setbacks, Ravindra Jadeja and KS Bharat took charge, consolidating India's position. Jadeja, initially fortunate to escape an LBW decision without any reviews left for England, went on to score a resilient 81, reaching his half-century. Bharat contributed 41 runs before being caught in front of the wicket while attempting to sweep a delivery from Joe Root.
The middle order saw Ravichandran Ashwin departing due to a mix-up with Jadeja, but Axar Patel joined Jadeja on the crease, adding valuable runs to India's total. With England struggling to break through, Jadeja closed the day at 81, and Axar remained unbeaten at 35.
As the match heads into Day 3, India's advantage lies in the possibility of adding over 100 runs in the first session, potentially placing Rohit Sharma's men in a more commanding position. England faces an uphill task in attempting to halt India's charge and make a comeback in the contest.
Scoreboard
England 1st innings: 246 all out India 1st innings: (Overnight 119-1) Yashasvi Jaiswal c & b Root 80 Rohit Sharma (c) c Stokes b Leach 24 Shubman Gill c Duckett b Hartley 23 KL Rahul c Rehan b Hartley 86 Shreyas Iyer c Hartley b Rehan 35 Ravindra Jadeja batting 81 KS Bharat lbw b Root 41 Ravichandran Ashwin run out 1 Axar Patel batting 35 Extras: (B-5, LB-6, NB-2, W-2) 15 Total: (For 7 wickets in 110 overs) 421 Fall of wickets: 1-80, 2-123, 3-159, 4-223, 5-288, 6-356, 7-358.
Bowling: Mark Wood 13-0-43-0, Tom Hartley 25-0-131-2, Jack Leach 25-6-54-1, Rehan Ahmed 23-3-105-1, Joe Root 24-2-77-2.