IND vs ENG 1st Test: Jadeja-Axar Put India In Pole Position As Day 2 Ends

Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel put the England spinners under pressure in the third session, helping India secure a strong position by the end of Day 2 in the first Test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Friday.

At the conclusion of the second day, India reached a total of 421 runs for the loss of seven wickets, establishing a lead of 175 runs. Jadeja and Axar remained not out with scores of 81 (from 155 balls) and 35 (from 62 balls) respectively.

During most of the third session, the left-handed pair was in control, but surprisingly, it was Root who emerged as England's most effective spinner. He dismissed Jaiswal in the opening over, came close to getting KL Rahul out for a duck, successfully appealed for LBW against Bharat, and enticed the batters into playing uncertain shots.

India started the session with a score of 309/5, holding a 63-run lead. KS Bharat and Ravindra Jadeja emerged as a dependable duo for India in the latter part of the game.

They neutralized England's group of spin bowlers, held them off, and made sure that the score kept increasing steadily.

Joe Root briefly sparked hopes for the visiting team by removing Jadeja in the 81st over. However, the Indian player immediately contested the on-field decision and successfully overturned the ruling.

Jadeja acknowledged his 20th Test fifty by raising his bat and performing his signature sword celebration.

With the new ball in play, England seized the chance to make a quick impact on the match. Root removed Bharat for 41, and shortly after, Ravichandran Ashwin fell victim to a miscommunication with Jadeja.

Both players ended up on the same side, but Jadeja swung his bat and passed the crease before Ashwin, causing Ashwin to be out for 1.

Axar's entrance once more stabilized India's batting performance, forming an unbroken partnership of 63 runs and extending India's lead to 175 runs.

Both batsmen showcased India's strong batting lineup by executing impressive shots to score boundaries and occasionally hitting the ball into the stands.

15 runs off the final over of Day 2 courtesy @akshar2026 🔥🔥

The Jadeja-Axar partnership now 63*-runs strong 💪

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/HGTxXf8b1E#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/8AxB79zCyS

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 26, 2024

Earlier in the second session, England dealt India a significant setback when Rehan Ahmed dismissed Shreyas Iyer for 35 runs, ending a 64-run partnership with KL Rahul. All-rounder Jadeja then took to the crease.

The pair continued to balance carefulness with boldness and determination against the English offense, forming a strong alliance as India reached a score of 275/4.

Jadeja and Rahul formed a quick fifty-run alliance. During their aggressive play against England, Rahul reached 1000 runs in Test matches at home. Despite this achievement, he fell short of a century when Tom Hartley got him out for 86.

Srikar Bharat stepped up to bat, and ultimately, Jadeja and Bharat held firm to prevent India from losing any further wickets before the Tea break.

In the morning session of the second day, India started their batting at 119/1. Joe Root took an early wicket for England by getting Yashasvi Jaiswal out for 80 runs. Jaiswal tried to hit the ball over the bowler's head but ended up getting caught and bowled by Root. This brought Rahul to the crease with a big task ahead for India.

Rahul and Shubman Gill maintained their aggressive approach, immediately putting England at a disadvantage. After 30 overs, India scored 145 runs and lost 2 wickets.

The newcomer Tom Hartley made a significant breakthrough for his team by dismissing Shubman Gill for 23 runs, ending a 36-run partnership between the third batter and Rahul. Subsequently, Shreyas Iyer took to the crease.

After 45 overs, India scored 202 runs and lost 3 wickets. Rahul completed his fifty in 72 balls with a well-crafted innings.

Rahul and Iyer, working together as a pair, secured India's position by ensuring that no wickets were lost before the lunch break.

Score at a glance: England 246 (Ben Stokes 70, Ben Duckett 35; Ravichandran Ashwin 3-68) vs India 421/7 (Ravindra Jadeja 81*, Yashasvi Jaiswal 80, KL Rahul 86; Joe Root 2-77).

Also Read: IND vs ENG 1st Test: Yashasvi Jaiswal Dominates England's Spinners On Day 1