It was a frustrating day at the office for Team India as England reached 225/2 at the close of play on Day 2 in the ongoing Manchester Test. England opener Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett frustrated the Indian pacers, with the pair adding 166 for the first wicket. India took a sigh of relief after Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Crawley (84) in the final session to give India a glimmer of hope. Duckett too was sent back to the pavilion few overs later, with debutant Anshul Kamboj getting him caught behind. However, by the time Duckett (94) was dismissed, England had already done the hard yards without any hiccups.
Duckett and Crawley took on the Indian pacers for fun, consistently scoring at nearly five runs per over.
During the final session, some tempers flared between Duckett and India pacer Mohammed Siraj, who looked visibly frustrated. It all kicked off after Duckett went to the umpire to complaint about something, prompting a strong reaction from Siraj.
In reply to India's 358, openers Duckett and Crawley came out to bat on the crease.
Both players started off the innings carefully, but later attacked the Indian bowlers, especially right-arm pacer Siraj (0/26 in 4 overs) and Kamboj (0/29 in 5 overs). Bumrah was also a little bit expensive as he gave away 22 runs in his first five overs.
In the first session, the visitors managed to add just 57 runs in 22 overs, losing two important wickets along the way. Jofra Archer, who looked sharp from the start, gave England the perfect start by dismissing Ravindra Jadeja for 20.
Shardul Thakur, known for his fighting spirit, showed great patience at the other end. He absorbed the pressure, punished the loose balls, and built a useful stand before England skipper Ben Stokes got the breakthrough by dismissing him for a well-made 41.
The biggest moment of the session came when Rishabh Pant walked out to bat, limping and clearly in discomfort, yet determined. As he made his way to the middle, the crowd erupted with a huge roar. It was a sight that lifted Indian fans' spirits instantly.
(With ANI Inputs)