Day 2: #INDVsENG, 2nd TEST | Live Score & Commentary | 2021 Series
Day 2: #INDVsENG, 2nd TEST | Live Score & Commentary | 2021 Series
PREVIEW: The rain robbed us of what could have been a fascinating final day at Trent Bridge but the cricket that was played in the first Test in Nottingham certainly whet the appetite for the rest of the series. It was a compelling match, full of vibrant, competitive and occasionally flawed cricket on a sporting pitch. If the remaining four Tests are similarly as hard fought, it should be an entertaining few weeks.
On balance, India will feel the less satisfied of the two teams with a draw as they were the most likely victors on the final day at Trent Bridge but at least they head into the second Test at Lord's, which begins on Thursday (August 12), all square, which was not the case during the winter in India or in the 2018 series in England. The home side will no doubt be relieved to have escaped Nottingham without defeat after their disappointing first innings display with the bat. After all, at the end of day one, there appeared to be only one winner.
India still look to be the better all-round outfit though even if there are concerns about the form of some of their batsmen. KL Rahul's return to the team could not have gone much better but the middle order struggled once again, as it did in the World Test Championship final and as it has for some time.
The home side have batting issues of their own, of course. Only the brilliance of Joe Root in both innings prevented India from steamrolling England's batting line-up in game one. There were at least signs of more fight and technical application from the rest of the order in the second innings but the issues in England's top six will not be solved overnight, even if there are personnel changes for this game. How their vulnerable batting line-up copes with the class of India's bowlers is set to be a theme of this series.
Jasprit Bumrah was the main threat at Trent Bridge. His return to form after a quiet World Test Championship Final was perha
Day 2: #INDVsENG, 2nd TEST | Watch Along & Discussion | 2021 Series
Day 2: #INDVsENG, 2nd TEST | Watch Along & Discussion | 2021 Series
PREVIEW: The rain robbed us of what could have been a fascinating final day at Trent Bridge but the cricket that was played in the first Test in Nottingham certainly whet the appetite for the rest of the series. It was a compelling match, full of vibrant, competitive and occasionally flawed cricket on a sporting pitch. If the remaining four Tests are similarly as hard fought, it should be an entertaining few weeks.
On balance, India will feel the less satisfied of the two teams with a draw as they were the most likely victors on the final day at Trent Bridge but at least they head into the second Test at Lord's, which begins on Thursday (August 12), all square, which was not the case during the winter in India or in the 2018 series in England. The home side will no doubt be relieved to have escaped Nottingham without defeat after their disappointing first innings display with the bat. After all, at the end of day one, there appeared to be only one winner.
India still look to be the better all-round outfit though even if there are concerns about the form of some of their batsmen. KL Rahul's return to the team could not have gone much better but the middle order struggled once again, as it did in the World Test Championship final and as it has for some time.
The home side have batting issues of their own, of course. Only the brilliance of Joe Root in both innings prevented India from steamrolling England's batting line-up in game one. There were at least signs of more fight and technical application from the rest of the order in the second innings but the issues in England's top six will not be solved overnight, even if there are personnel changes for this game. How their vulnerable batting line-up copes with the class of India's bowlers is set to be a theme of this series.
Jasprit Bumrah was the main threat at Trent Bridge. His return to form after a quiet World Test Championship Final was perh
Live: #INDVsENG, 1st TEST - Day 3 | Live Score & Commentary | 2021 Series
Live: #INDVsENG, 1st TEST - Day 3 | Live Score & Commentary | 2021 Series
Virat Kohli:
Last time England chose to bowl first here, and we would have wanted to bat first as well. We would look to get in with the ball in the first session, and a few early breakthroughs will be handy. There is a bit of a change up top, KL Rahul comes in. Our bowling combination is: Bumrah, Shami, Thakur, Siraj and Jadeja as the spinner. You could call it an accumulation of all the hardwork we have put in over the years. The opportunity to win in England and Australia in the same year is rare. To get opportunities in such times to play and play in front of crowds as well, we are grateful.
Joe Root:
We're going to bat first. It looks like a reasonable wicket, a little bit of movement. If we get off to a good start in the first hour, we could capitalize. Always exciting to play a big series like this. And hopefully we could perform really well. Jonny Bairstow comes back, Sam Curram comes in as well. It has been so long since we last played. Jack Leach unfortunately misses out; a very tough decision. You've got to pick the best team to pick 20 wickets. As you progress as a Test player, there comes the responsibility and there is an opportunity for the guys to take what Ben Stokes has left in his absence.
Teams:
India (Playing XI):
Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj
England (Playing XI):
Rory Burns, Dominic Sibley, Zak Crawley, Joe Root(c), Jonny Bairstow, Daniel Lawrence, Jos Buttler(w), Sam Curran, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
Live: #INDVsENG, 1st TEST - Day 3 | Live Score & Commentary | 2021 Series
Live: #INDVsENG, 1st TEST - Day 3 | Live Score & Commentary | 2021 Series
Virat Kohli: Last time England chose to bowl first here, and we would have wanted to bat first as well. We would look to get in with the ball in the first session, and a few early breakthroughs will be handy. There is a bit of a change up top, KL Rahul comes in. Our bowling combination is: Bumrah, Shami, Thakur, Siraj and Jadeja as the spinner. You could call it an accumulation of all the hardwork we have put in over the years. The opportunity to win in England and Australia in the same year is rare. To get opportunities in such times to play and play in front of crowds as well, we are grateful.
Joe Root: We're going to bat first. It looks like a reasonable wicket, a little bit of movement. If we get off to a good start in the first hour, we could capitalize. Always exciting to play a big series like this. And hopefully we could perform really well. Jonny Bairstow comes back, Sam Curram comes in as well. It has been so long since we last played. Jack Leach unfortunately misses out; a very tough decision. You've got to pick the best team to pick 20 wickets. As you progress as a Test player, there comes the responsibility and there is an opportunity for the guys to take what Ben Stokes has left in his absence.
Teams:
India (Playing XI):
Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj
England (Playing XI):
Rory Burns, Dominic Sibley, Zak Crawley, Joe Root(c), Jonny Bairstow, Daniel Lawrence, Jos Buttler(w), Sam Curran, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
Live: #INDVsENG, 1st TEST - Day 2 | Live Score & Commentary | 2021 Series
Live: #INDVsENG, 1st TEST - Day 2 | Live Score & Commentary | 2021 Series
Just before the Toss in the Edgbaston series opener of 2018, Ravi Shastri had found himself in the company of Michael Holding. During the brief conversation that ensued, India's head coach was spotted pointing at the dark clouds above, suggesting the new ball would do quite a bit to start.
As England chugged along to 98 for 1 after opting to bat, Holding revealed tid-bits of this chat. "I told him not to be fooled by the clouds, the pitch is dry." India fought admirably thereafter but it was a revelation that they have begun yet another overseas assignment on the backfoot. If it were somehow possible, Virat Kohli & Co. would happily begin with second Tests. They've lost all of their last three first Tests and the openers on their last visits to each of the SENA countries.
Even for a travel-happy team, this slow-starting syndrome asks too much of their famed resilience. Perhaps, there may be a psychological silver lining this time around at Trent Bridge, where India have won two and drawn one of their last four Tests, in that they've already played a Test match (and lost) on this tour. There is, of course, still a frisson to this contest. England was one country where Kohli had to wait for success as a Test batsman.
As captain of the side he's coaxed into prominence, he will be in for more waiting over these five Tests - for sun, for cloudy skies, for his batsmen to use the middle of their bats, for the bowlers to find the edge and luck - to erase this rider from his CV. He is up against a captain, who shares his similar concerns about batting, but has familiarity of home comforts to fall back on. For Root and England, there is also a subplot of a perceived wrong when they were buried on the brown dunes of Motera six months ago and therefore green could well be the colour of revenge.
When: England vs India, 1st Test, August 4-8 2021, 11:00 Local, 15:30 IST
Where: Trent Bridge, Notti
Live: #INDVsENG, 1st TEST | Live Score & Commentary | Day 2 | 2021 Series
Live: #INDVsENG, 1st TEST | Live Score & Commentary | Day 2 | 2021 Series
Virat Kohli: Last time England chose to bowl first here, and we would have wanted to bat first as well. We would look to get in with the ball in the first session, and a few early breakthroughs will be handy. There is a bit of a change up top, KL Rahul comes in. Our bowling combination is: Bumrah, Shami, Thakur, Siraj and Jadeja as the spinner. You could call it an accumulation of all the hardwork we have put in over the years. The opportunity to win in England and Australia in the same year is rare. To get opportunities in such times to play and play in front of crowds as well, we are grateful.
Joe Root: We're going to bat first. It looks like a reasonable wicket, a little bit of movement. If we get off to a good start in the first hour, we could capitalize. Always exciting to play a big series like this. And hopefully we could perform really well. Jonny Bairstow comes back, Sam Curram comes in as well. It has been so long since we last played. Jack Leach unfortunately misses out; a very tough decision. You've got to pick the best team to pick 20 wickets. As you progress as a Test player, there comes the responsibility and there is an opportunity for the guys to take what Ben Stokes has left in his absence.
Teams:
India (Playing XI):
Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj
England (Playing XI):
Rory Burns, Dominic Sibley, Zak Crawley, Joe Root(c), Jonny Bairstow, Daniel Lawrence, Jos Buttler(w), Sam Curran, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
