LONDON: India suffered an embarrassing 159-run innings defeat in the second Test against England after yet another batting failure on day four at Lord’s, leaving the struggling visitors 0-2 behind in the five-match series.
Indian batsmen failed to learn from their mistakes and were all at sea against the moving ball as the second innings folded up for 130 in 47 overs. James Anderson (4-23) once again toyed with the opposition, taking his match tally to nine, and equally effective was Stuart Broad (4-44).
England, who resumed at overnight 356 for six, declared their first innings at 396 for seven earlier today with Chris Woakes staying unbeaten on 137. The Indian batsmen let the team down also in the first Test but the away side at least put up a fight.
Here at the ‘Home of Cricket’, the Virat Kohli-led unit showed no semblance of a fight, bringing back the haunted memories of the previous series in 2014 and 2011.
With the rain threat looming large over the remainder of the game, India needed to bat for survival. But it wasn’t to be as the batsmen once again cut a sorry picture after mustering 107 in the first innings that lasted just 35.2 overs. The crushing loss has given the Indian team management plenty to think about ahead of the third Test beginning August 18 at Nottingham. The opening day was washed out here and even today time was lost due to intermittent rain, but England still comfortably got the the result they wanted with a day to spare.
The weather was also kind on the impressive hosts, who batted in the sunshine on day three while overcast conditions made the job tougher for the Indian batsmen. “Not very proud of the way we played. For the first time in the last five Tests, we were outplayed,” said captain Virat Kohli at the post-match presentation. Post tea, Ravichandran Ashwin (33 not out) and Hardik Pandya (26) added 55 runs for the seventh wicket, the highest for India in two innings of this Test.
More importantly, they batted out nearly 12 overs showing that with a little more application, this Indian line-up could have done better. Both batsmen took hits on their right hands, yet continued to soldier on. Chris Woakes (2-24) broke the resistance, trapping Pandya lbw in the 43rd over. An over later, Anderson came back into the attack with a single-minded focus to finish off the Indian innings.
Kuldeep Yadav (0) was bowled, a pair in this Test, while Mohammed Shami (0) played a horrendous shot to fall lbw two overs later. Woakes finished off the formalities, as Ishant Sharma (2) was last out, caught at leg slip. Earlier, Broad took 4-7 in his post-lunch seven-over spell and destroyed the Indian middle order before light drizzle brought forth an early tea break.
Cheteshwar Pujara (17) and Ajinkya Rahane (13) had started watchfully after the lunch break and they looked to eat up as many deliveries as possible. Woakes had an entertaining contest with Rahane, but the batsman prevailed for a little while.
The bowling changes worked though as England’s relentless pace attack again benefitted from overcast conditions. Rahane was the first to go, playing at a wide delivery off Broad in the 19th over as Keaton Jennings held a sharp catch at third slip.
Kohli (17), struggling with a stiff back, came out to bat as India reached 50 in the 26th over. He was clearly restricted in his movement and stroke making, and received on-field attention. Broad then pulled out an inswinger that deflected off Pujara’s pad and crashed into the off-stump, ending his 87-ball stay.
Four overs later, Broad struck twice. First, Kohli was caught at forward short leg, with DRS detecting a faint glove as the ball bounced off his jumper.
Immediately, another quick inswinger saw Dinesh Karthik trapped lbw for a first-ball duck. Ashwin fended off his hat-trick ball, and thereafter just hung on with Pandya for company as a 2-0 score-line loomed large for India. (PTI)
