After their twin lower-order implosions in the opening Test in Leeds, India fortified their batting depth even though it was the bowling group that had failed to defend 371 in the fourth innings. The decision to bring in Nitish Kumar Reddy (30) and Washington Sundar (23), both with all-rounder aspirations, was fuelled by a combined collapse of 13 for 72.
The batting depth enabled the visitors to bat England out of the second Test in Birmingham. On Saturday at Lord’s, it was again the cynosure, Nitish and Washington helping Ravindra Jadeja (72) build on the platform provided by the top-order to leave the third Test in the balance on the third afternoon after the visitors tied their first-innings score with England at 387 all out. At stumps, England were 2-0.
Solid partnership
Earlier, the said platform was laid by the overnight pair of KL Rahul (100) and Rishabh Pant (74), who stormed through the pain barrier, extending their fourth-wicket alliance to 141 before falling within 10 minutes of each other, either side of lunch. Rahul’s exit, caught behind a ball after bringing up his 10th hundred, left India still 133 runs in arrears with half the side back in the hutch. But Jadeja teamed up for successive half-century alliances with Nitish and Washington before being strangled down the leg by Chris Woakes after his third consecutive 50-plus score this series.
While the second half of the moving day was about the lower order, the first two hours were dominated by Rahul and Pant, who resumed battle with India on 145-3 in reply to England’s 387. An early wicket would have been the perfect momentum-driver, but the phlegmatic opener and the dynamic wicketkeeper-batter put their heads down to ensure that there were no early alarms. Both were sure of where their respective off-stumps were, and even though his left index finger continued to trouble Pant, he chose to put mind over matter, never losing sight of the larger picture.
Stokes turns the tide
India were headed for a wicketless session when Stokes provided the inspiration with a spectacular pick-up-and-throw from cover during the middle of a taxing spell, his decision to go to the bowler’s end catching Pant unawares and short of his ground. The big stand snapped, India lost Rahul immediately after he kept his tryst with his hundred when he edged a drive against off-spinner Shoaib Bashir to slip.
The innings was at a flash point and Nitish appeared nervy and on edge; he could have been run out twice very early on and needed 21 deliveries to get off the mark, but despite his travails, he kept Jadeja company until Stokes produced a snorter to have him caught behind. Washington, much better than his No. 8 position suggests, played another lovely hand to make this a second-innings contest.
Brief scores
England 387 & 2-0 vs India 387 (KL Rahul 100, R Pant 74, R Jadeja 72, K Nair 40, N Reddy 30; Chris Woakes 3-84, J Archer 2-52, B Stokes 2-63)
