Twice in a span of 24 hours, India found a cumbersome path in the session between lunch and tea here at Trent Bridge. And twice, India found a duo which forced the Englishmen to gnash their teeth in agony.
On the opening day, against persevering England bowlers in the second session, the visitor mustered a sedate 71 for two, largely due to the efforts of Murali Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane. The second day’s similar time-frame found rescuers in Bhuvneshwar Kumar (58) and Mohammad Shami (51 n.o.).
Thanks to them, India savoured a tea score of 433 for nine and eventually posted 457 in its first innings — truly a remarkable leap from an under-cooked 346 for nine at one stage. There was no time to stretch their legs, though, as once Bhuvneshwar miscued a lofted shot off Moeen Ali, he and Shami rushed back, ripped their pads off and donned the bowlers’ boots.
Alastair Cook and Sam Robson had to buckle down and survive 17 overs on a Wednesday evening. Cook flicked a four off Shami and the stands broke into applause.
Perhaps that shot emboldened the England captain, as against the same bowler he shuffled across, flexed his bat, missed the line and heard the ball thud into his leg-stump. Robson and Gary Ballance then survived till close and England scored 43 for one.
Earlier, in a passage of play that briefly turned worse despite the cushioning provided by Vijay (146, 361b, 25x4, 1x6) and M.S. Dhoni (82), four wickets fell for just two runs. England still had no respite as it ran into India’s exasperating tail.
Century partnershipBhuvneshwar and Shami blunted the host’s seam attack and found easy pickings from Moeen. The last-wicket pair added 111 and ensured that India crossed the 400-mark. In a city known for its proximity to old coal-reserves, the Indian pair displayed resilience that often defined miners. It wasn’t entirely dour and both twirled their bats around while they gained time at the crease.
With a first-class hundred under his belt, Bhuvneshwar played the senior pro before Shami grabbed his space — a stunning six off James Anderson etching his 50. A tailender’s charmed life was also on view as a skier fell between the fielders and Shami’s snick off Liam Plunkett nestled within Matt Prior’s gloves, but evoked no approval from umpire Bruce Oxenford.
Bhuvneshwar and Shami’s fortitude was a marked contrast to the way India unravelled after lunch once Ravindra Jadeja edged Ben Stokes. Instantaneously, 344 for six morphed into 346 for nine. The steep fall involved Dhoni’s ambitious running, debutant Stuart Binny’s urgency to lash around off-stump and Ishant Sharma’s badly judged leave.
A run-out, a catch and a clean-bowled ensued and just as the England fielders turned boisterous, Bhuvneshwar and Shami forced them to sober down.
ConsolidationIn the morning, resuming at the overnight 259 for four, Vijay and Dhoni ensured that India consolidated. Cook placed a lone slip and clustered the others on the off-side in a 7-2 format to stifle the drives, while luck too favoured India as Prior dropped Dhoni (on 51) off Stuart Broad.
Vijay drove regally and Dhoni, after a play-and-miss routine with Broad, remained doughty and alert, wristing a four down the ground off Stokes. The fifth-wicket partnership (126) hurt England and it was left to Anderson to cause the first breach, rapping Vijay’s pad. Jadeja walked in and immediately tucked into Moeen. A pull and two sixes were struck and Cook, except for asking the crowd to step in, packed the off-side with eight fielders! 8-1. Frustration too reared its ugly head as Anderson resorted to verbals against Jadeja, while umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Oxenford played peace-makers. Unhindered, India sat pretty with a lunch score of 342 for five.
What transpired after desserts were consumed may have rattled the visitors, but with Bhuvneshwar and Shami resisting, India stayed ahead in the Test.
