First Test Day 2 against IND and ENG: Elegant KL Rahul and Flamboyant Jadeja Lead India to 309/5 at Tea

KL In the current first Test in Hyderabad, India controlled yet another session as Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja held the England bowlers at bay. Rahu’s aggressive hitting at No. 4 combined with Jadeja’s restrained aggressiveness let India reach 309 for five at tea, a narrow but decisive advantage over the hosts. After the second session, India led the visitors by 63 runs, with KS Bharat (9*) and Jadeja (45*) sharing the crease.

None of the established front-line batsmen for India reach a century, despite their blatant domination at the plate. Rahul led the team in scoring with 86 off 123 balls because to his precise shot selection and immaculate timing. He biffied Rehan Ahmed twice in the span of four balls, demonstrating his amazing ability to handle the leg-spin of the opposition.

Rahul advanced toward the ball and lofted it over the sight-screen for his maiden century. He then rocked back to hit yet another six, this time over mid-wicket with an absolute pie. A hitter who used the proper technique to offset a little sticky pitch completely dominated. However, Rahul’s half-tracker, which picked Ahmed, the lone fielder in the deep at mid-wicket, off left-arm spinner Tom Hartely, undid all the hard work. Additionally, he failed to accomplish the uncommon goal of hitting a century in the fifty-first Test. However, Jadeja’s skill in risk management kept India in pursuit.

Shreyas Iyer (35), presented an analogous tale. The right-hander seemed to have survived the storm, particularly against pacer Mark Wood who put him to the test with a barrage of short-pitched deliveries. He scraped about for the most of his 63-ball stint.

However, Shreyas wasted a chance to go better when he tried a slog sweep of Ahmed, giving Hartley an easy catch at deep mid-wicket. The Mumbaikar will need to put in more substantial work to contend for his spot when Virat Kohli returns after the third Test.

India lost two wickets while scoring 87 runs during the middle portion of the day. Had the England bowlers been more consistent with their lengths and lines at this time, the Indian situation would have been much more difficult.

Even though the pitch was sluggish, there was enough spin to take advantage of. However, the three first-choice spinners, with the exception of part-timer Joe Root, were unable to effectively prevent the Indian hitters from obtaining points.

Earlier in the day, India lost overnight batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal (80) in the first over of the morning’s fourth delivery, marking an unlucky start to the day. In the second ball of that over, he hit a four through long-on, but two balls later, he tried an encore, and Root was given a soft return catch.

The second overnight batsman, Shubman Gill (23), was also unable to get going as his effort to swat Hartley was caught by Ben Duckett at mid-wicket, handing the left-arm spinner his first-ever Test wicket.