KL Rahul falls as England manages to turn things around

Things didn’t quite turn India’s way even though the ball spun and England were all out shortly after lunch on Day 2.

England's players celebrate the wicket of Indian batsman Kannur Lokesh Rahul, second from left, on the second day of the fourth cricket test match. (Photo | AP)

MUMBAI: Things didn’t quite turn India’s way, even though the ball spun, as England were all out shortly after lunch on Day 2. Having reached 400 runs, thanks to a ninth-wicket stand, the visitors sent back KL Rahul to put pressure back on the hosts in the fourth Test.

It looked like a decent start by India as Murali Vijay and Rahul negotiated the fast bowlers without getting troubled. Alastair Cook deployed spin from both ends after seven overs, and Moeen Ali got one ball to turn through the gap between Rahul’s bat and pad in the 14^th to successfully break the opening partnership of 39.

Overtaking or getting within an earshot of England’s total being imperative, Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara kept things relatively safe till tea. India were 62/1 at the break, with a lot of work remaining to be done.

Having claimed the eighth English wicket when the total was 334, India would have hoped for wrapping things up under 350 runs. However, that’s when the depth in England’s batting came to the fore as Jos Buttler and fast bowler Jake Ball put together 54 runs for the ninth wicket.

After Keaton Jennings on Day 1, Buttler shouldered responsibility on Friday. Drafted in as a specialist batsman, the wicketkeeper curbed his natural game and concentrated on accumulating, rather than going for it. Fifty off 106 balls was mellow by his usual standards, yet invaluable for a team trying to make a comeback in the series.

The day had started on an encouraging note for India when Ravichandran Ashwin got Ben Stokes in the third over of the morning to complete a 23^rd five-wicket haul. Anil Kumble with 35 hauls and Harbhajan Singh with 25 hauls are the Indians ahead of him. While they played 135 and 103 Tests, respectively, Ashwin is playing only his 43^rd.

The news from the Indian point of view was that it took 82 overs for someone other than Ashwin to take another wicket. Ravindra Jadeja had got Alastair Cook in the 26^th over of the innings on Thursday. After five by Ashwin, Jadeja struck again in the 108^th when he sent back Chris Woakes. He took two more to move to 99 Test wickets.

The inability of other bowlers to take wickets explains why India are on the back foot on a pitch where batting is expected to get tougher as the match goes on.

Brief scores: England 400 (Jennings 112, Buttler 76, Moeen 50, Ball 31, Ashwin 6/112, Jadeja 4/109). India 62/1 (Vijay 31 no, Rahul 24, Pujara 7 no). Tea, Day 2.