India vs England Day 2 Highlights: Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel guide hosts to 421/7 at stumps

17:11 (IST)

That brings us to the end of our coverage of the second day of the first Test between India and England, with the day belonging to the home team batters who will be staring at the prospect of a victory with their lead stretching to 175 now! Do join us tomorrow morning for Day 3, aka the ‘Moving Day’, in which the Indians will be looking to bat England out of the game.

For now, this is Amit signing off bidding you all goodbye!

17:04 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 110 overs, India 421/7 (Ravindra Jadeja 81, Axar Patel 35)

Rehan foxes Axar with a well-disguised googly; not only does he beat his outside edge, but could have had Axar stumped had Foakes collected the ball cleanly, with the batter leaning forward and losing his balance for a fraction of a second. One left-arm finger spinner replaces another from the other end, with Hartley coming in place of Leach. FOUR! SIX! FOUR! Axar ends Day 2 with a flourish, collecting 14 runs in a space of three deliveries from Hartley, bringing up the fifty partnership wtih Jadeja — the fifth of the Indian innings so far — in the process!

With that, it’s STUMPS ON DAY 2, with India collected 112 runs for the loss of two wickets in the final session — 302 runs for the loss of six wickets throughout the day — to surge ahead in the series opener in Hyderabad!

India’s lead is worth 175 at the conclusion of the second day, it will be very difficult for the Englishmen to not only eclipse this, but set a competitive target thereafter.

16:54 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 108 overs, India 405/7 (Ravindra Jadeja 79, Axar Patel 21)

FOUR! An absolute gift from Rehan — and he’s given quite a few of these away in this innings — firing a low full toss at Jadeja that the all-rounder promptly dispatches through the gap between midwicket and mid on for a boundary! Brings up the 400 for the hosts in the process! Rehan does take Jadeja by surprise in the final delivery of his 22nd over, firing a googly that stays low. Both Jadeja and Axar have a quiet smile after that delivery, knowing the kind of support they can expect when it’s their turn to bowl again. Just two singles conceded by Leach in the following over.

16:45 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 106 overs, India 399/7 (Ravindra Jadeja 74, Axar Patel 20)

FOUR! Axar gets down on one knee and goes for a slog-sweep towards the cow corner fence that stretches India’s lead to 150! Jadeja and Axar had been blocking their way through the last few overs and had been collecting singles and the odd double. With the English bowlers starting to tire now, they have the license to go for a few big hits in the last 20 minutes of the day. Three collected off the next over by Leach, including a brace to Axar. India one short of 400 now.

16:38 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 104 overs, India 392/7 (Ravindra Jadeja 73, Axar Patel 14)

Wrist-spinner Rehan Ahmed returns to the attack with 11 overs/30 minutes left in the day’s play, whichever’s earlier. Stokes decides to take Wood off from the other end as well, bringing Jack Leach back into the attack. Single off each of the last two overs. Another nine overs left in the day’s play.

16:31 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 102 overs, India 390/7 (Ravindra Jadeja 73, Axar Patel 12)

Jadeja and Axar are content with collecting a run or two every over, getting the scoreboard to move even if it’s at a snail’s pace. Jadeja collects a brace off Wood at the start of the pacer’s 13th over, steering the ball through point, moving to 73 in the process. India, meanwhile, are 10 short of the 400 mark now.

16:22 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 100 overs, India 387/7 (Ravindra Jadeja 70, Axar Patel 12)

100 overs up in the Indian innings and India nearly have 400 on the board and still have some batting left. Their lead, meanwhile, is nine short of 150 and already looks like a winning one, unless England are able to produce something spectacular with their ‘Bazball’ tactics in their second innings.

16:15 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 98 overs, India 385/7 (Ravindra Jadeja 68, Axar Patel 12)

Three singles conceded by Root in his 22nd over as Jadeja and Axar continue to keep the scoreboard ticking at a steady rate. Four leg byes added to the Indian total in the following over after a deflection off Jadeja’s pad. Wood appeals for leg-before, but is unsuccessful, and replays suggest it would’ve been ‘Umpire’s Call’ on wickets. India 15 short of the 400-mark at the moment and they still have three wickets in hand.

16:02 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 96 overs, India 375/7 (Ravindra Jadeja 64, Axar Patel 10)

FOUR! Second boundary for Axar as he drives an overpitched delivery from Root through extra cover! Mark Wood, meanwhile, returns to the attack in the following over, getting to bowl with a ball that isn’t exactly brand new. Concedes a single each to Jadeja and Axar at the start of a new spell.

15:48 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 94 overs, India 367/7 (Ravindra Jadeja 62, Axar Patel 4)

Root collects a maiden now, which is the third in the last four overs. Four byes added to the Indian total at the start of the next over after Leach fires one down leg, which beats both Jadeja and keeper Foakes. Jadeja then gets off strike with a single two balls later. Drinks brought to the field at the end of this over.

15:45 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 92 overs, India 362/7 (Ravindra Jadeja 61, Axar Patel 4)

FOUR! Axar opens his account with a boundary off his first very delivery, though props to Rehan Ahmed for a spirited chase and nearly saving a run or two for his team. Rehan appeared to pull the ball back inside in the nick of time but replays show his hand touching the advertising cushion. Was an aerial drive from Axar that could have landed him in trouble had he not got as much height. Maiden to Leach in the following over, his 2nd on the trot.

15:39 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

OUT! Massive mix-up between Ashwin and Jadeja results in the former getting run-out for 1 and joining Bharat in the dressing room not long after making his way out to the centre. Ashwin sets off for a quick single after tapping the ball towards mid off, but Jadeja, who’s focused on the ball, decides to pedal back after noticing Hartley swooping on the ball and throwing it towards the striker’s end in a flash. England claw back with a couple of quick wickets and have boosted their chances of restricting India to below 400. IND 358/7

Ashwin run out (Hartley/Foakes) 1(11)

15:36 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 90 overs, India 357/6 (Ravindra Jadeja 60, Ravichandran Ashwin 1)

Ashwin joins Jadeja at the crease after Bharat’s dismissal off Root’s bowling, and gets off the mark with a single in the same over. Leach bowls out a maiden in the following over, his fifth of the innings.

15:30 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

OUT! Root with the breakthrough, as Bharat misses while attempting a sweep and ends up getting adjudged leg-before. The keeper-batter goes for the review and gets umpire’s call on wickets, resulting in India retaining their review. IND 356/6

Bharat LBW Root 41(81)

15:22 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 88 overs, India 352/5 (Ravindra Jadeja 60, Srikar Bharat (WK) 37)

Root continues while Stokes takes Hartley off and brings a more experienced left-arm spinner in Leach in his place. Three singles collected in each of the last two overs, helping India cross the 350-mark.

15:12 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 86 overs, India 346/5 (Ravindra Jadeja 58, Srikar Bharat (WK) 33)

England take the second new ball, but it’s not Mark Wood not seam-bowling all-rounder Ben Stokes who make first use of it, but Joe Root. The off-spinner fires a full toss at Jadeja that is promptly driven down the ground past mid on for an easy boundary. Tom Hartley, who has collected two wickets so far in this innings, replaces Rehan and is sharing the second new ball with Root. He concedes three runs at the start of a new spell, including a brace to Bharat, that helps stretch India’s lead to 100!

15:08 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 84 overs, India 339/5 (Ravindra Jadeja 54, Srikar Bharat (WK) 30)

Loud cheer at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium as Ravindra Jadeja brings up his 20th half-century in Test cricket in 84 deliveries with a treble after driving the ball through the covers. Gets enough time to run two more thanks to a fumble in the deep. Out comes the sword celebration, which elicits another cheer from the crowd as well as from the commentary box. Rehan concedes three singles in the following over, which helps the current partnership cross the fifty mark — the third of the Indian innings so far, and the primary reason why they are firmly in the driving seat at the moment.

15:04 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 82 overs, India 333/5 (Ravindra Jadeja 49, Srikar Bharat (WK) 29)

England decide against taking the second new ball right away as Root continues with the worn out ball. Jadeja is adjudged leg-before off Root’s bowling, and he decides to go upstairs after pausing for a second. Thick inside edge on the replay and the TV umpire doesn’t really need a second look. FOUR! Bharat rocks back and pulls a long hop from Rehan through the midwicket region to move to 29! Big over from Rehan with 10 coming off it, including three doubles to Bharat, who’s keeping the fielders quite busy at the moment. Jadeja, meanwhile, is still batting on 49.

14:55 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 80 overs, India 322/5 (Ravindra Jadeja 49, Srikar Bharat (WK) 18)

FOUR! Genuine long hop from Root and Bharat pulls it above the fielder stationed at square leg for a boundary. That was the plan perhaps, to get him to hit the ball straight to the fielder standing square, except the Indian keeper-bat got plenty of height on that shot. Jadeja, meanwhile, is on strike for the last two balls of the 80th over, batting on 49, but blocks his way through. End of the 80th over, and the second new ball will be available for the visitors now.

14:43 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 78 overs, India 314/5 (Ravindra Jadeja 49, Srikar Bharat (WK) 10)

Jadeja sets off for a single in the second ball after tea. Loud appeal for LBW against Bharat in the very nexy delivery, but the umpire shakes his head. And replays show the ball to be going over the stumps. Rehan continues from the other end and concedes four, including a brace to Jadeja — who moves to 49 in the process.

14:41 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

Ravindra Jadeja and Srikar Bharat return to the crease after the 20-minute break with Joe Root set to bowl the first over of the evening session. The second new ball, meanwhile, is due in four overs and it remains to be seen if the visitors take it right away.

14:16 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 76 overs, India 309/5 (Ravindra Jadeja 45, Srikar Bharat (WK) 9)

TEA ON DAY 2 — Ravindra Jadeja collects a boundary off Rehan Ahmed, pulling a half-tracker from the leg-spinner behind square, in the final over of the session as India head to tea in a comfortable position with their lead swelling to 63 with five wickets in hand! Jadeja’s batting on 45 at the moment, and will look to play a long innings from here and stitch another fifty-plus stand for the hosts with Srikar Bharat, who’s batted patiently so far. Plenty of batting still to come for the Indians with Ravinchandran Ashwin and Axar Patel all handy with the bat.

14:05 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 74 overs, India 304/5 (Ravindra Jadeja 40, Srikar Bharat (WK) 9)

Root operates with a slip and a short mid off in place for Jadeja, who moves to 40 with a single off the last delivery of the 73rd over. Rehan Ahmed returns for another burst with five minutes left for tea, and starts his spell with a maiden.

13:59 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 72 overs, India 303/5 (Ravindra Jadeja 39, Srikar Bharat (WK) 9)

Root returns to the attack with England captain Stokes now desperate to keep India’s lead to 100 or less. The part-time off-spinner does create an opportunity in the fifth delivery as Jadeja gets a thick outside edge that lands just short of Leach at backward point, allowing the southpaw to collect a single that brings up the 300 for the hosts. Root then goes into a celebrappeal in the next delivery after an apparent bat-pad deflection off Bharat, though umpire Paul Reiffel shakes his head. The replay shows no contact with Bharat’s glove whatsoever. Signs of reverse in the following over with Wood getting the ball to nip into the leg stump from middle while bowling to Bharat.

13:50 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 70 overs, India 298/5 (Ravindra Jadeja 36, Srikar Bharat (WK) 7)

India’s lead goes past 50 after Bharat taps the ball towards the covers for a single at the start of Wood’s eighth over. Woakes pulls off a fine stop later in the over after the ball brushes Bharat’s pad, preventing four byes from getting added to the Indian total.

13:41 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 68 overs, India 294/5 (Ravindra Jadeja 35, Srikar Bharat (WK) 4)

Wood replaces Leach and is hitting speeds of up to 145 clicks with the worn out ball right away. Appeal for LBW against Jadeja in the third delivery of his over, but is turned down by the umpire and looked like it was sliding down leg anyway.

13:40 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 66 overs, India 291/5 (Ravindra Jadeja 34, Srikar Bharat (WK) 3)

Wicketkeeper-batter Srikar Bharat joins Ravindra Jadeja at the crease and is off the mark straight away with a treble — guiding a low full toss through extra cover and getting enough time to come back for a third. Leach, meanwhile, appeals confidently for a caught-behind against Bharat at the start of the following over, but the umpire shakes his head. Bharat missed while attempting to drive, with the ball travelling close to the outer blade.

13:29 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

OUT! KL Rahul misses out on a century, and is dismissed in a manner that is nearly identical to that of Shreyas Iyer at the start of the session as he pulls a half-tracker from Tom Hartley straight to Rehan Ahmed standing in front of the midwicket boundary! He’ll be gutted with himself for failing to control his instincts, especially when he’s batted so well today. IND 288/5

Rahul c Ahmed b Hartley 86(123)

13:22 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

SIX! Not for the first time today does Jadeja dance down the track, smashing the ball over long on for his second maximum of the day! IND 287/4

13:12 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

FOUR! Full toss from Hartley — a flat, low full toss at that — and Jadeja drills this hard onto the pitch, resulting in the ball going over non-striker Rahul’s head and running all the way to long on for a four. Drinks break taken at the end of the 63rd over. ND 281/4 after 63

13:08 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 62 overs, India 276/4 (KL Rahul 85, Ravindra Jadeja 23)

FOUR! Another fifty-plus stand for the Indians, this time between Rahul and Jadeja for the fifth wicket with the latter bringing up the milestone with a boundary off Rehan in the last delivery of the 61st over, driving the ball past mid off. Jadeja also moves into the 20s in the process. Leach concedes just a single in the following over.

13:03 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 60 overs, India 269/4 (KL Rahul 83, Ravindra Jadeja 18)

Rahul moves into the 80s with a brace at the start of Ahmed’s 12th over, going for an inside out drive through extra cover. Collects a single two balls later. FOUR! Half-tracker from Ahmed and Jadeja gets on the back-foot and pulls it confidently through midwicket to collect his second boundary in as many overs. SIX! Jadeja dances down the track to Jack Leach, who replaces Root in the attack, and greets him at the start of a new spell by smashing the ball over the cow corner fence for his first maximum of the day! Leach successfully appeals for a bat-pad deflection later in the over after the ball lobs over to short leg, and Jaddu reviews it right away. No contact with the glove whatsoever and nothing on Hawk-Eye as far as LBW’s concerned, with the ball missing leg stump. Jadeja responds in the next delivery with another wild slog towards the cow corner region, and is lucky this time with the ball landing between two fielders. Eventful first over for Leach at the start of a new spell.

12:51 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 58 overs, India 254/4 (KL Rahul 79, Ravindra Jadeja 7)

FOUR! A release shot for Jadeja, who had been looking a little tentative so far in the innings, smacking a juicy full toss from Root down the ground past mid on. 16 added to the Indian total in the last two overs. India are in the lead with six wickets in hand with Rahul well set at the moment.

12:46 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

SIX! A half-tracker from Ahmed this time, and Rahul hangs back and pulls this over the bowler’s head for a second maximum in the leg-spinner’s 11th over. Not only does it bring up the 250 for Team India, it also erases the deficit and puts them in the lead! IND 250/4 after 57

12:45 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

SIX! Rahul picks the wrong ‘un from Rehan, playing with turn and depositing the ball in the stands beyond long on with a majestic hit! The deficit is just 2 now! IND 244/4

12:44 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 56 overs, India 238/4 (KL Rahul 67, Ravindra Jadeja 3)

FOUR! Second boundary for Rahul in one over from Ahmed, with the senior batter getting down on one knee and sweeping the ball firmly through square leg. Stokes, meanwhile, decides to bring Joe Root in place of Jack Leach from the other end with a left-hander in Jadeja at the crease right now. Starts off by conceding four singles.

12:35 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

FOUR! First runs conceded by Rehan after lunch, with Rahul deciding to hang back and cut a slightly short delivery behind point. IND 228/4

12:34 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 54 overs, India 224/4 (KL Rahul 56, Ravindra Jadeja 0)

Rehan starts with back-to-back maidens, getting the wicket of Iyer in the second one (“what a waste of a wicket,” says Sunil Gavaskar on air). Out walks Ravindra Jadeja ahead of wicketkeeper-batter Srikar Bharat due to his superior batting skills. 

12:27 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

OUT! Just one fielder in the deep on the leg side and Shreyas Iyer has managed to pick him out with a slog-sweep! Tom Hartley has a catch to his credit now after his maiden wicket earlier in the day as Rehan Ahmed strikes after lunch, snapping the fourth-wicket stand that was starting to look menacing. IND 223/4

Iyer c Hartley b Ahmed 35(63)

12:25 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 52 overs, India 223/3 (KL Rahul 55, Shreyas Iyer 35)

Left-arm spinner Jack Leach returns to the attack from the other end. Shreyas Iyer scampers off for a quick single after tapping the ball towards mid on. He’s batting on 35, and will be eyeing his half-century right now.

12:18 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 51 overs, India 222/3 (KL Rahul 55, Shreyas Iyer 34)

Maiden over for Rehan Ahmed, which incidentally is the first of the day so far! KL Rahul decides to start off on a defensive note after lunch.

12:17 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

Right then, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer make their way back to the centre for the second session, and the two will have their sights set on converting this into a massive partnership. Rehan Ahmed to bowl the first over after lunch.

11:37 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 50 overs, India 222/3 (KL Rahul 55, Shreyas Iyer 34)

LUNCH ON DAY 2 — KL Rahul’s batting on 55 with Shreyas Iyer batting on 34, the partnership between the two worth 63 at the moment as India head to lunch trailing England by just 24 runs with seven wickets in hand! Excellent session for the Indians, who end up collecting 103 runs despite losing the wicket of overnight batter Yashasvi Jaiswal in the very first over of the day. Tom Hartley too opened his account in international cricket by getting rid of Shubman Gill, who hardly got going in his 66-ball 23.

We’ll be back in a little over half-an-hour for the second session of the day.

11:32 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 48 overs, India 212/3 (KL Rahul 50, Shreyas Iyer 29)

Fifty up for KL Rahul — his 14th in Test cricket! Brings up the milestone with a single off Root, who goes for seven after being brought back into the attack, consuming 72 deliveries in what has been a patient stay at the crease so far!

11:30 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

FOUR! Shreyas Iyer brings up the fifty partnership with Rahul for the fourth wicket with a boundary off Root, who’s brought back for another spell shortly before lunch. Slightly short from the offie, and Iyer has little trouble cutting it in front of square. IND 210/3

11:17 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 46 overs, India 203/3 (KL Rahul 47, Shreyas Iyer 23)

The 200 comes up for the Indians after Iyer decides to drive the ball square of the wicket on the off side for a brace off Ahmed, moving into the 20s in the process. Hartley has a short mid on in place for Iyer in the following over, in which he bowls five dots on the trot before conceding a single off the last delivery.

11:11 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 44 overs, India 198/3 (KL Rahul 46, Shreyas Iyer 19)

Leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed is introduced with half-an-hour to go for lunch, and he is off to a positive start right away, inducing an outside edge off Iyer’s blade that nearly results in a catch at slip. FOUR! Iyer though, waits for the loosener, and gets one in the form of a half-tracker in the penultimate delivery. Gets on the backfoot and pulls it towards the cow corner fence for a four. Tom Hartley continues from the other end, conceding three singles.

11:03 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 42 overs, India 191/3 (KL Rahul 44, Shreyas Iyer 14)

Eight off Hartley’s 18th over, six of which are collected by Iyer in the fourth delivery after getting a half tracker from the left-arm spinner that he promptly pulls over deep midwicket. Rahul, meanwhile, goes for a short-arm pull off a short delivery from Wood at the start of the following over. Wood then attempts another short delivery outside off, only this time the ball doesn’t climb as much and is tapped away towards point by Iyer for a single. Wood, meanwhile, has been losing his balance in his follow through and falling over on quite a few occasions across the past two days.

10:54 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

SIX! Hartley decides to drop one short to Iyer and the latter gleefully accepts it, pulling it over the midwicket fence with ease. He needed a release shot and was served one on a platter by the left-arm spinner! IND 189/3

10:52 (IST)

India vs England Day 2 Live

After 40 overs, India 181/3 (KL Rahul 43, Shreyas Iyer 5)

Iyer and Rahul collect a single each off Hartley, who has a silly point in place now, before the former decides to take a couple of steps down the pitch and decides to go for an aerial loft over midwicket for a brace. Wood takes his time setting the field with Stokes before bowling his third over of the day, getting a deep square leg and a deep backward square leg now in addition to fine leg. Two singles added to the Indian total in his over.