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KL Rahul hit 86 and Ravindra Jadeja closed in on a half-century Friday to push India’s lead to 63 runs on day two of the opening Test against England.
India were 309-5 at tea with Jadeja on 45 and wicketkeeper-batsman K.S. Bharat on nine at tea in Hyderabad.
Rahul’s anchoring 86 ended with a big heave on a long-hop from Test debutant Tom Hartley that landed in the palms of Rehan Ahmed at deep mid-wicket.
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It was Hartley’s second strike of the day after Shubman Gill.
Rahul’s exit ended a 65-run stand with the left-handed Jadeja, who stood firm and kept up the attack to entertain a crowd of more than 25,000 fans taking advantage of the Republic Day national holiday.
England struck in the third over after lunch when Shreyas Iyer holed out to deep mid-wicket for 35 off leg-spinner Ahmed.
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India lost overnight batting duo Yashasvi Jaiswal and Gill inside the first hour of play after resuming on 119-1.
Left-hander Jaiswal added four to his overnight 76 with a boundary on the second ball but was dismissed after lobbing the fourth ball of the day back to spinner Joe Root, who jumped high to take the catch.
Rahul and Gill, who started the day on 14, attempted to rebuild in a partnership of 36 but Hartley broke through with his left-arm spin.
Hartley had a bruising introduction to Test cricket when Jaiswal greeted him with a six on the first ball. He leaked 63 runs in nine overs on day one.
A loose shot from Gill got him caught at mid-wicket on 23 and an overjoyed Hartley celebrated with the team.
England played their attacking “Bazball” brand of cricket electing to bat at the start of the five-match series and managed 246 courtesy of skipper Ben Stokes’ 70.
Ben Duckett spoke in high terms about the value of that innings, but India’s dominance has now made a mockery of those comments.
“There was a good bit of Koolaid glugging by England last night. Ben Duckett’s post match verdict that Stokes may well have played the matchwinning innings and England had made an over par score is being exposed today,” Nick Hoult wrote in The Telegraph.
“England were well short of making India sweat and while Stokes batted beautifully, first innings scores of 70 are not going to shape matches unless the Test is being played in a sandpit.”
Stokes’ bowling options also raised concerns for the tourists with their specialist spinners failing to fire, leading towards Root taking on a hefty load.
“Alarm bells ringing loudly in the England camp,” Jonathan Agnew said on the BBC. “Any lead worth double on this pitch I reckon.
“No control established by the bowlers.Where’s Jimmy (Anderson)?”
The Telegraph’s Will Macpherson said that England was “desperate” for their luck to change.
“It’s saying something when Joe Root is your strike spinner,” he wrote.
“Jack Leach has bowled fine, but without great venom, and the fact that he has not bowled more than a four-over spell all day suggests something is just not quite right.”
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