Manchester: A riveting day 2 of the fifth Test at Old Trafford saw Rishabh Pant’s brave half-century, a vintage five-wicket haul from Ben Stokes, and a blazing start from England’s top order, who raced to 225 for 2 by stumps on Thursday in response to India’s 358 all out.
India began the day at 264/4, but the English bowlers led by Stokes (5/72) and Jofra Archer (3/73) wrapped up the innings with disciplined spells. Pant battled pain and pressure to compile a fluent 54 off 75 balls, featuring a six off Archer and several classy drives. His dismissal — bowled by a seaming Archer delivery that uprooted the off-stump — was a near repeat of his dismissal at Lord’s last year.
Shardul Thakur (41), Washington Sundar (27), and Jasprit Bumrah added brief resistance, but India folded for 358. England’s fielders backed their bowlers well, with Chris Woakes and Harry Brook taking sharp catches.
In reply, the English opening pair of Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett launched a ruthless counterattack. They blunted India’s pace and spin with flair and confidence, adding 150 for the first wicket in just 28.4 overs.
Crawley reached his half-century with a flurry of boundaries, including a powerful pull off Thakur, a driven four off Siraj, and a sweep for six off Jadeja. Duckett was equally fluent, bringing up his fifty in just 46 balls and finding the fence regularly off both pace and spin.
The first breakthrough came only in the 32nd over when Ravindra Jadeja had Crawley caught sharply by KL Rahul at slip for 84, immediately after a no-ball. Jadeja had slightly overstepped, but the extra delivery proved golden for India. Anshul Kamboj, making his Test debut, then removed Duckett for 94 with a well-directed rising delivery that induced a nick to substitute keeper Dhruv Jurel.
Ollie Pope (20 batting) and Joe Root (11 batting) saw England safely through to stumps, but not without drama. Pope showed resilience, including a fierce flick for four despite a sharp lifter from Kamboj, and squeezed a Jasprit Bumrah yorker past mid-on for another boundary. Root was characteristically assured, finding the gaps and dispatching Kamboj for elegant boundaries through mid-on and fine leg.
India missed chances and leaked boundaries, with Crawley and Duckett capitalising on anything overpitched or straying on the pads. Siraj, Thakur, and Kamboj all conceded multiple boundaries, including several edges that flew past the slip cordon.
Despite the late wickets, England's rapid scoring rate, 100 in 18.5 overs and 200 in just 38.5, put them in a strong position going into Day 3, trailing by just 133 runs with eight wickets in hand.
With the pitch still offering value for shots and India’s bowlers yet to find consistent rhythm, Day 3 promises another intense chapter in this evenly poised contest.
Brief Scores:
India 1st Innings: 358 all out in 114.1 overs, (Rishabh Pant 54, Shardul Thakur 41, Sai Sudarshan 61; Ben Stokes 5/72, Jofra Archer 3/73);
England 1st Innings: 225/2 in 46 overs at stumps; (Ben Duckett 94, Zak Crawley 84; Ravindra Jadeja 1/37, Anshul Kamboj 1/48); England trail by 133 runs with 8 wickets in hand.
