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Unreal! What a remarkable wicket! Root, as he does, unfurls a reverse sweep to Bumrahâs seamer but he canât get the lift needed to take it beyond the cordon. Instead, Jaiswal at second slip, clings on to a screamer. That was moving at a rate of knots. Rootâs poor form continues and he has to go, admonishing himself as he leaves the scene.
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Oooooh, weâre halfway theee-ere! At least, at some point in the second session today, weâll be halfway through this five-Test series and, whisper it quietly, itâs shaping up to be an epic.
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England arrived in India with a question hanging over them. Could they Bazball in the meanest backyard in cricket? Ben Duckettâs staggering Test ton, the fastest by an Englishman in India, has firmly answered that query.
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It was unreal batting. The sheer chutzpah of the approach was worthy of praise. That it counted for 133 unbeaten runs off a mere 118 balls places it firmly in contention for the best knock by a tourist in India (and weâve already had one of those in the series).
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Duckett will have Joe Root â nine off 13 â for company but wonât have to face Ravichandran Aswhin. Indiaâs premier spinner became the ninth player to reach 500 Test wickets but has had to pull out of the match after a family medical emergency.
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Itâs a cruel blow for India and possibly places England in the driverâs seat despite the 238-run deficit. If Duckett and Root can build a partnership, and if the aggressive middle order can crank into gear, and if the tail can contribute with some handy runs, then England might have a sizeable lead.
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Thatâs a lot of ifs and a maybe. But this is a team that has challenged what we thought we knew about this sport. Love or hate England cricket, there is no denying the bravery of this latest iteration that is setting a new standard with the bat.
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Play resumes at 4am UK time/9:30am in Rajkot.
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important events
42 overs: England 226-4 (Duckett 143, Stokes 0) Bumrah will be happy to bowl to both left-handers and will come towards them from near the wicket. Duckett hits the first ball for a strike, meaning Bumrah can set up Stokes with five balls left. He found a tight, probing line and tucked in a yorker to end the over. Stokes digs it up.
Reader David Williams isn’t happy with Joe:
“I’m a big fan of the buzz ball, but Joe Root should be well aware of the situation. Ashwin was not there, Bumrah was in just a few overs and took a completely unnecessary shot. Embarrassingly reading the match not present.”
I think I agree with David. Also flat deck. I think that’s why Root was so angry with himself. Then again, maybe he was frustrated that he couldn’t get the reverse scoop six times.
41 overs: England 225-4 (Duckett 142, Stokes 0) Suddenly, Duckett is tasked with rebuilding the company. He lost two partners in six balls. Great play from Kuldeep toying with Bairstow, bringing him forward and pinning him at the back. It’s not the first time Stokes has had to dig his side out of a hole before thinking about counter-attacking.
Wicket! Bairstow lbw Kuldeep 0 (England 225-4)
Had disappeared! Bairstow won’t wait for the three reds to appear on the big screen. He watched the replay once and was on his way. Vertical as possible. The previous ball flew and dragged Bairstow forward, almost going through his bat and pad. This match was flatter, with Bairstow playing on the back foot. It turned and slammed its pads in front of the stumps and died. India quickly took the lead.
Finger goes up and Bairstow is awarded! It looks vertical. They reviewed it, but it was pitched outside his off-stump and back into the pads from Kuldeep’s left-arm wrist rotation. I’d be surprised if this doesn’t stick.
40th over: England 224-3 (Duckett 141, Bairstow 0) Once again, it was Bumrah who made the breakthrough in the morning session. With Root gone, newcomer Bairstow first unearths a searing yorker.
Wicket! Root c Jaiswal b Bumrah 18 (England 224-3)
unrealistic! What a wonderful wicket! Root, as he does so, deploys a reverse sweep towards Bumrah’s seamer but fails to get the lift he needs to cross the cordon. Instead, Jaiswal clings to the screamer at second slip. It was moving at a speed of knots. Ruto’s health continued to deteriorate and he had to go, so he left, admonishing himself.
39 overs: England 223-2 (Duckett 140, Root 18) Duckett gets out his broom and makes his first cleanup of the day. It has loft, good control, and good timing. It was knocked down in front of the 4-person square. Then he almost runs out himself. In fact, a direct hit from the escaping Jurrell – who expertly knocked the keeper’s gloves away before faltering at the bowler’s end – would have ended Duckett’s stay despite a desperate dive. His remaining four balls gave him three singles, a productive end for Ncando.
“Good morning, Daniel.” good morning brian withington. Thank you for joining us early.
My brother just emailed me to say that Finn is an “amazing” and insightful critic. At the risk of generalizing, I opined that bowlers often do. Is there anything the OBO community should consider? As a random exhibit, AI offers his KP vs. Shane Warne. Exhibit B, Ponting vs. Broad (closer to Cole).
That’s an interesting hypothesis. I think Punter is one of the best in the business. But you might be right. My favorite is Safa player turned commentator Sean Pollock. Your brother may be planning something.
38 overs: England 216-2 (Duckett 134, Root 17) Bumrah is yet to pinpoint his range of action. He is too wide outside the off-stump of the route. A length one back was expertly maneuvered behind a four-four square. Root is playing away from his body, but in complete control. He then picked up two easily off his pads. If Bumrah can’t get to the top of Root, India could quickly get out of control.
37 overs: England 210-2 (Duckett 134, Root 11) Kuldeep’s left-arm wrist spin gets things moving from the other end. Remember, Aswin will not be present today or for the rest of the test. Kuldeep aims for the rough outside off-stump of the root. He can’t find it at all. He’s a bit too straight, so Root pushes a single out off the back foot into a leg-side sweeper.
36 overs: England 209-2 (Duckett 134, Root 10) Bumrah started near the wicket towards the left-handed Duckett, who hit a comfortable single to the covers from the second ball. This causes Root to go on strike. The former England captain has struggled against Bumrah, who has shifted towards crossing the wicket for the right-hander. Root’s trigger gets him out of the crease. Perhaps he is trying to block lateral movement? Takes a single down to fine leg with an inside edge. Duckett continued his solid defense for the rest of the set.
Well then. Bumrah has the ball. Duckett and Root have bats. The Test, and indeed the series, maintains a delicate stance. alright, let’s go!
Where does Aswhin rank among the great pantheons? Numbers don’t lie, but he didn’t always have the love he deserved (I think).
I’m happy to see his record stack up against the elite. Another, more sobering question: Will he be the last member to join his 500 club?
For another day.Please enjoy for now Tanya Aldred Nice piece about men:
Now Sir Alastair Cooke is waxing lyrical about ‘Ducky’ on ‘TNT’.. The former England captain and left-handed opener praised Duckett’s bravery against the Indian spinners as well as the accuracy of his sweeps. On defense, he looked like, well, a sitting duck. But in the sweep, he took control. “A wonderful hundred,” says Sir Alastair. Too right!
“Amazing talent”
That’s Ravichandran Ashwin, the newest member of the exclusive 500 club, talking about Ben Duckett after England’s captivating opening hundred.
The left-handed bowler last batted in India, averaging single digits for the entire tour, but was unable to make it past the third Test on an individual basis. Now he’s leading the Buzzballers into uncharted territory. Will he be able to do his best today?
preamble
Daniel Gallant
Oooh, we’re halfway there! At least at some point in today’s second session, half of this five-Test series is over and whispers quietly, it’s shaping up to be epic.
The British arrived in India with doubts. Will they be able to play buzzball in cricket’s meanest backyard? Ben Duckett’s incredible Test ton, the fastest by an Englishman in India, answered that question firmly.
It was unrealistic batting. The sheer sophistication of the approach was admirable. The fact that he achieved an unbeaten 133 in just 118 balls puts him in a sure position to contend for the best knock by an Indian tourist (and we have already seen his one in the series). ).
Duckett will have Joe Root (9 out of 13) in the squad but will not have to play against Ravichandran Aswin. India’s premier spinner became the ninth player to reach 500 Test wickets, but had to withdraw from the match following a family emergency.
This is a cruel blow for India and England could take the lead despite the 238-run difference. If Duckett and Root can form a partnership, if the attacking midfield can step up a gear and the back end can contribute some useful runs, England could take a sizable lead.
It’s a lot of “what ifs” and “what ifs”. But this is a team that challenged what we thought we knew about this sport. Whether you love or hate English cricket, there’s no denying the courage of this latest installment, which is setting new standards with the bat.
Play will resume at 4am UK time and 9.30am in Rajkot.
