Latest Update:Stokes into his 10th over on the run, the final over of the day. Short leg still in place. Short fine leg as well. As Michael Holding puts it, Karthik not interested in anything short. India ends at the day at 110/5. Still needing 84 runs. Phew, what a session. What a day of Test cricket. Day 2 Report: Virat Kohli notched up a hundred to guide India to 274 all out in the first innings before leaving the hosts on 9/1 with a slender lead of 22 runs at stumps on the second day of the first Test match on Thursday. [caption id=“attachment_4867071” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
England captain Joe Root and India captain Virat Kohli. Agencies[/caption] Replying to England’s 287, Kohli — dropped by Dawid Malan off James Anderson — scored a gritty 149, in which he smashed 22 fours and a six, to enable the visitors trim the first innings deficit to 13 runs. For the hosts, Sam Curran returned career’s best figures of 4/74 while pace spearhead Anderson (2/41), Adil Rashid (2/31) and Ben Stokes (2/73) accounted for the rest of the wickets. The icing on the cake for India in the brief second innings spell was when Ravichandran Ashwin castled former skipper Alastair Cook for a duck. Cook was drawn forward as the ball pitched on middle stump to zip past him and hit the off stump. Keaton Jennings was not out on 5 at the close of play. Earlier, resuming the third session 160/6 and still trailing by a good margin, Kohli continued his solo act after bringing up his half century just before tea. India lost Ashwin (10) just after the break, the 31-year old clean-bowled by Anderson who claimed his first wicket of the day. Mohammed Shami (2) did not last long, Anderson taking his wicket too before Kohli upped the ante and stitched stands of 35 and 57 runs with tailenders Ishant Sharma (5) and Umesh Yadav (1 not out). From 182/8, the skipper dragged his team to 274. Kohli, who exorcised the ghosts of the 2014 England tour, brought up his hundred by hitting Stokes for a four and roaring towards the stands to then kiss his wedding ring as wife Anushka Sharma watched from the stands. From then on, he added the next 49 runs in brisk pace knowing they had only one wicket in hand. Kohli finally fell to Rashid, cutting a short and wide delivery to Stuart Broad but the job was already done. The worry for India would be that none of the other visiting batsmen reached the 30-run mark. The day began with England managing to add just two runs to their overnight total of 285 runs in their first innings. India needed just 10 balls on the second day to end England’s innings, that slipped from a comfortable 216/3 to 287. Pacer Mohammed Shami, who started the proceedings along with Ashwin, got Curran (24) caught behind by wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik. Karthik had dropped Curran on the opening day off the same bowler. India then squandered a watchful start to slip to 76/3 at lunch as Kohli remained undefeated with Rahane. India got off to a near perfect start with the opening duo of Murali Vijay (20) and Shikhar Dhawan (26) putting on a 50-run stand. But the introduction of Curran turned the tide in England’s favour. Curran’s three-wicket burst in eight balls reduced India to 59/3 in no time even as Rahane joined his captain to sneak in a few singles before heading for the break. It was the Kohli show from there on as he notched his 17th Test fifty off 100 balls but was dropped twice either side of his fifty. India kept losing wickets with Karthik (0) and Pandya — who added 48 runs for the sixth wicket with his skipper — falling at regular intervals. With inputs from IANS.
Highlights, India vs England, 1st Test, Day 3 at Edgbaston, Full cricket score: Kohli, Karthik steer India to 110/5 at stumps
Stokes into his 10th over on the run, the final over of the day. Short leg still in place. Short fine leg as well. As Michael Holding puts it, Karthik not interested in anything short. India ends at the day at 110/5. Still needing 84 runs. Phew, what a session. What a day of Test cricket.
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Edgbaston Test is living up to all the hype it had created before the Test series. The match is getting better with each day here. The good part is that when we began the day the match was hanging in balance and now that we are done with Day 3, we cannot say anything different. Whatever happened in between makes you believe more in the power of Test cricket.
Tomorrow, we will be back again, at 3:30 IST sharp. And how dare we not come back? This is a Test match not to be missed. Tomorrow’s last day and it has all the makings of an exciting finish. Till then, good-bye and take care.
Gaurav Joshi analyses Day 3 of the first Test between India and England live at Edgbaston.
Day-3 summary:
1st session: 77/5 (27 overs)
2nd session: 94/4 (22.2 overs)
3rd session: 110/5 (36 overs)
Overall: 281/14 (85.2 overs)
After 36 overs,India 110/5 ( Virat Kohli (C) 43 , Dinesh Karthik (W) 18)
STUMPS!
Stokes into his 10th over on the run, the final over of the day. Short leg still in place. Short fine leg as well. As Michael Holding puts it, Karthik not interested in anything short. India ends at the day at 110/5. Still needing 84 runs. Phew, what a session. What a day of Test cricket.
After 35 overs,India 109/5 ( Virat Kohli (C) 43 , Dinesh Karthik (W) 17)
Adil Rashid comes into the attack. All the talks about him after his selection in England squad before this Test and all that he has been used for is the bowler who bowls some quick overs at the fag end of the day to keep up with the over-rate. You never know, he might spring up a surprise.
After 34 overs,India 105/5 ( Virat Kohli (C) 41 , Dinesh Karthik (W) 15)
Stokes continues with a short leg and short fine leg in place. Karthik ducks again to the bouncer. The plan is very obvious. Hit the deck hard, ask the Indians to hit. Karthik, who faced the maximum deliveries this over, managed not to fall in the trap.
After 33 overs,India 104/5 ( Virat Kohli (C) 40 , Dinesh Karthik (W) 15)
Close call on the first ball as the ball misses Kohli’s edge. On the next ball, Kohli steps forrwad and leaves it. His forward defence looking solid ball after ball. 8 overs to go today, 90 runs required.
After 32 overs,India 103/5 ( Virat Kohli (C) 39 , Dinesh Karthik (W) 15)
Stokes comes in again. The look on Karthik’s face when he is concentrating is a sight in itself. Eyes bulging out. Cheeks stretched. He has been able to defend properly and has looked the best batsmen in this innings after Kohli even in this short stay. On the other end, Kohli is brimming a smile. He must have cracked a joke in his mind or may be he can see India winning this one. Karthik ducks on the last ball of the over. 9 overs left today. India need 91 to win.
Keep it real. Keep it simple.
After 31 overs,India 103/5 ( Virat Kohli (C) 39 , Dinesh Karthik (W) 15)
Broad continues. The match sweetly hangs in balance. India would want to go back to the dressing room without having lose another wicket and with the way Karthik is batting, it looks like a possibility. India need 91 runs to win.
After 30 overs,India 101/5 ( Virat Kohli (C) 38 , Dinesh Karthik (W) 14)
Stokes continues. Kohli continues too, batting on and on. Karthik is concentrating hard. He is trying to get forward and then the next ball, Stokes bowls a bouncer to unsettle him. The last ball of the over, huge appeal for LBW for Karthik but umpire shakes his head. The big stride by Karthik apparently saved him. Kohli and Karthik would have taken a sigh of relief with the score touching 100. 94 more to go.
After 29 overs,India 98/5 ( Virat Kohli (C) 36 , Dinesh Karthik (W) 14)
Right so, Broad has been brought back. Root would want Broad to deliver on what could be his last outburst today.
After 28 overs,India 94/5 ( Virat Kohli (C) 36 , Dinesh Karthik (W) 10)
Stokes continues to bowl. Karthik has hit his first boundary of the match, moves into double figures. This should do world of good for his confidence.
After 27 overs,India 89/5 ( Virat Kohli (C) 36 , Dinesh Karthik (W) 5)
Anderson continues. Sangakkara on commentary is speaking on how Indian batsmen apart from Kohli have not used the feet to good effect, trying to come in line of the deliveries. Thankfully, for India, the example for other Indian batsmen still stands tall in the middle.
Dinesh Karthik’s batting average in Test cricket:
At home: 20.37
In SENA countries: 41.22
It’s time for him to prove himself in the whites.
After 26 overs,India 87/5 ( Virat Kohli (C) 35 , Dinesh Karthik (W) 4)
England are going up every time the ball thuds the pad. Hardik Pandya is practicing shots sitting on the chair. Not sure whether that would help. India should look to get the required runs below 100 first and then the reverse-counting will begin. KOHLI HAS TO BE THERE TILL THE END is the big clause.
First there is Kohli and then the rest!
Madness continues… Ashwin is gone and they are singing Jimmy Jimmy in the aisles…. this is madness in the name of Test cricket.
DK sticks out his bat first ball… unreal stuff… unreal…
Very, very important question this!
After 25 overs,India 83/5 ( Virat Kohli (C) 34 , Dinesh Karthik (W) 1)
Anderson continues. And Ashwin has been undone here. Anderson it is. He yells, screams, as he sends Ashwin back. The game is slowly inclining towards England but the match is far from being over.