Fresh from the Australian triumph, the Indian test team had expected an easy time of it against England; particularly with the home advantage. Joe Root however had other ideas and the Indians received a rather rude shock in the first test. The second test charts a different course. R Ashwin emerged as a hero with the bat and ball and ultimately was adjudged player of the match. Here’s what happened
India scored 329 in their first innings whereas the English team collapsed for 134 in their first innings. India added to picked up from their substantial first-innings lead and made 286 in their second innings.
This left the visitors with an impossible-seeming target of 482 runs to get for victory or the other option of trying to bat out 2+ days for a draw. By the end of day three, the visitors had already lost three wickets. England were 53/3 at stumps and still 429 runs behind the target at the start of day four.
Ashwin is the hero of the hour. He claimed five wickets in the first innings and even scored a century in the second innings.
The allrounder!
Soon it became obvious what the result of the game would be. The only question that remained was: how humiliating would the loss be for the visitors.
Ashwin claimed the wicket of Ben Stokes in both innings.
His 161 in the first innings belied the allegations several former cricket players made about the pitch.
Axar Patel made his debut in this match. When the visitors started the fourth day of the test match, it quickly became obvious that the match would not see the fifth day.
For the first time in a very long time, there were crowds to watch the match live in the stadium.
Many, in particular former England player Michael Vaughn complained about the pitch but in the end it was performance that mattered.
Sunil Gavaskar dismissed complains about the pitch.
The Indian bowlers made short work of the seven wickets they needed to get to win.
The English batsmen could only manage to get to 164 on the fourth day.
At about the time people in the UK would be getting up hoping to catch some cricketing action, it was all over.
In the end it was everyone chipping in for the team to win.
There were celebrations and stats being shared.
Ashwin claimed eight wickets in all in the match – and won the player of the match award.
Can there be an India England match and no Lagaan meme? So the second test between India and England was comprehensively won by the home team. The third test will be a day & night match in Ahmedabad starting on 24th February.
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