Ind vs Eng 1st Test, day 2: Can Kohli overcome Anderson scare at Edgbaston?

Indian batsmen would look to take advantage of the pitch which looked like a typical sub-continent wicket as the wicket which doesn't have bounce and starting turning from Day 1.

India Vs England : On the Day 2 of first Test match, India took 10 balls to take the last wicket. Now the onus will be on Indian batsmen to put a spirited batting performance to get an upper hand at Edgbaston cricket ground in Birmingham today. Mohammed Shami took the last wicket as he beautifully set up Sam Curran, an inswinger followed by a delivery shaped away which drew Curran into poking away from his body and a healthy outside edge, easily taken by the Dinesh Karthik. After a sub-par first two session on Day 1 India bounced back brilliantly after a spirited fielding by Virat Kohli to remove Joe Root in the final session picking 6 wickets. Ashwin’s bowling was the highlight of Day 1 as he picked 4 wickets and he will look to get his 5th scalp on day 2. On the other hand, Indian batsmen would look to take advantage of the pitch which looked like a typical sub-continent wicket as the wicket which doesn’t have bounce and starting turning from Day 1.

How Virat Kohli’s inspired fielding effort reduce England to 285/9 from 216/3

At 216/3 England were cruising and it seems they will get past 400- runs marks as Joe Root was looking set to get a big with Jonny Bairstow at the other ens. But a brilliant piece of fielding from Kohli saw the England skipper getting run-out for 80. Root tried to steal a second runoff Ravichandran Ashwin but Kohli ran quickly, picked up the ball and threw it in one swift motion to knock down the stumps with a direct hit. Jonny Bairstow also followed his captain as he chopped on Umesh Yadav delivery onto the wicket and England were not able to recover from the two quick blow after the tea. Ashwin kept things tight and get the two crucial wickets of Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler. Read Day 1 session by session report here.

Will India miss Cheteshwar Pujara at Number 3?

Cheteshwar Pujara’s poor form in recent past prompted Virat Kohli to exclude him from the playing 11. But the player-- Shikhar Dhawan—who was preferred over him is also not in the best of his form as he get a pair in the practice game against Essex and also have a very dismal record overseas, averaging only 24. However, Pujara form is also a concern as he didn’t score a half century during the first class summer. He has managed only 172 runs in six matches at an average of 14.33 for Yorkshire. He scored a mere 35 against Afghanistan in Bengaluru, and in the practice game at Chelmsford, he managed 1 and 23. In 2014, too, Pujara had has a poor series with a score of 222 in five matches at 22.20. But given Dhawan’s weakness against the moving ball, Pujara would have been much better choice.

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