Ok, time to call it day. England in the process of being lightly, and spicily, sautéed. The Indian lead 175, thanks to a consistent scorecard, with still a little bit of power to add. Thanks for all your emails, sorry I didn’t have time to get to them all, and I’ll hand over to tomorrow’s OBO the task of discovering who Tom Hartley (who took his first two Test wickets today) really looks like. Bye!
Waiting for Eoin Morgan to corner someone from England , but perhaps that isn’t going to happen. A long day for England though, to give them their credit, they didn’t let their heads drop.
Ah, here we are, Jeetan Patel talks to Morgan, “A tough day, the reality is the guys put in a fantastic effort. We’re really proud of the way we kept going. Jack would have bowled more overs, [but feeling under the weather, a knock to the knee] actually bowled really well considering, Tom has created opportunities, taken a couple of wickets, be nice to get a few more, but his time will come.
“The only thing that really matters is the three wickets. There is a sense of positiveness in the group, we don’t really know what is gong to happen, that’s the beauty of the way this group is taking the game.”
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KL Rahul is the man with the microphone: “The hundred in South Africa has given me a bit of confidence, so batting coming out well. Wanted to go out there and stay positive, put runs on the ball. The surface – very different from South Africa for sure, a bit of turn, slower and slower as the ball got older, but we all played on wickets like this growing up. I’m enjoying batting in the middle order, I’ve opened the batting for so long, but you get a bit more time in the dressing room, a bit more time to see what the bowlers are doing [etc], so you walk out with a bit of an idea of what is going on.
“We didn’t really have any targets in mind, just wanted to bat as long as we can, and if we got into that position, bat the opposition out of the game.”
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Stumps: India 421-7, lead by 175
110th over: India 421-7 (Jadeja 81, Axar 35) Axar is pitiless in the face of our mysterious 1970s character actor, who is given the booby prize of the last over of the day. Slaps a half volley for four, then bends to slog-sweep six, losing the ball under some netting, before finishing the day by returning the ball to the deep midwicket boundary . Jadeja and Axar shimmy off. A long, hard, weary day for England.
109th over: India 406-7 (Jadeja 80, Axar 21) With his final ball of the over, a beauty of a googly, as Rehan goes straight through Axar, who plays and misses, though the ball falls out of Foakes’s gloves. The commentators wonder if his position is slightly wrong behind the stumps, hasn’t yet adjusted to India where keepers need to be more agile.
108th over: India 405-7 (Jadeja 79, Axar 21) A super take by Foakes as Leach drifts legside, as the teams play out the final overs of the day. The ground slowly emptying now.
107th over: India 403-7 (Jadeja 78, Axar 20) Rehan, a full toss, and Jadeja dances into a one legged drive and sends it singing to the rope, to take India past 400. The last ball is a grubber that barely lifts off the ground – Axar and Jadeja have a good laugh at that.
Some final Tom Hartley’s to throw in the pot: Herbert Lom (Mark Hooper); Tim Woodward (Stuart Silvers); Michael Knowles (David Brown); Peter Davidson (Andy Richards).
106th over: India 399-7 (Jadeja 74, Axar 20) A slightly hobbling Bairstow prevents a boundary from an Axar drive, but he seems ok as he struts back to position chewing down on his gum.
105th over: India 396-7 (Jadeja 73, Axar 18) Axar has had enough of dab, dab, dab, drops down to his knees and slams Rehan for four. The lead reaches the magic 150.
104th over: India 392-7 (Jadeja 73, Axar 14) I got it wrong, nine overs still left today. Leach back again, the commentators wonder on his short spells, is he under the weather? A tired looking Stokes moves fielders around. Leach wheels through another. One from the over.
103rd over: India 390-7 (Jadeja 73, Axar 12) Rehan is back, lots of encouragement from his teammates. In the crowd little children in coloured caps watch intently – which is impressive in the quietness at the end of a long day.
102nd over: India 390-7 (Jadeja 73, Axar 12) A weary Wood presses on, England still need to bowl another ten overs. I learn that Jadeja’s average pre 2018 is 31, post 2019 44. He prods the ground and lets Wood pass him by.
VAnessa is back, “Just as I had given up, you had to put Tom Hartley’s photo up! It’s him, it’s him to a T, that actor, you know....whatsisname?
“Oh deary me. Off for a soothing cuppa. Thanks anyway, one and all.”
Vanessa, don’t go, Sam Smith has more, “Dennis Price, Charles Boyer and Herbert Lom. I really should be doing some work but this is now infuriating!”
101st over: India 388-7 (Jadeja 71, Axar 12) Root, again, weary. As the television throws up a list of England’s Test averages in the second innings. Joe Root leads the way with 44, Duckett the only other one over 40.
100th over: India 387-7 (Jadeja 69, Axar 12) Must be a bit lonely for Wood without any of his fast bowling buddies to chew the fat with. I miss Stuart Broad dishing out advice. Axar Patel blocks out a 90mph yorker.
Kat Petersen licks her lips“Nachos in toffee sauce!!! (These exclamation marks are firmly of the “yes please, I need this in my life” variety.)
“Please tell me more. Did they come with ice cream? Pickled jalapeños? I feel like either or both of those would work. Might give up on the cricket altogether and go to the shop.”
They were deep fried and came with vegan ice cream. My friend and I shared a bowl and felt a bit dirty afterwards.
99th over: India 386-7 (Jadeja 69, Axar 12) A dab for one off Root for Jadeja as we reach the slow accumulation stage. The lead 140, not long left in the day.
”As per my streaming device, there’s roughly 80 million watching the Test online in India currently. There’s still hope for the real format. Completely with the minimum 3 test rule also.” Thank you Ayan Chakrabarti. And wow!
98th over: India 385-7 (Jadeja 68, Axar 12) Huge effort from Wood, a couple zanged into the pitch, and four leg byes.
Writes Ian Sargeant. “I know what Peter Bowles, Bernard Hepton (Secret Army was fantastic), Charles Dance, Nigel Havers, Simon Cadell et al look like. As someone without access to TNT sports can we have a picture of Tom Hartley as I haven’t a clue what he looks like?” Ah good point.
“Would I be close with Christopher Timothy (all creatures great and small?)“
Not bad. We need Tom Hartley’s parents on here. Though probably proudly watching their boy in person and rightly nowhere near the OBO.
97th over: India 378-7 (Jadeja 66, Axar 11) Anderson getting huge roars from the crowd when he appears on the big screen. He does look astoundingly good, I’d like some of whatever he’s taking, though worried it might take quite a lot of work in the gym. And he probably wouldnt have eaten the nachos in toffee sauce that I had in a pub in Glossop last night.
Root loops through another over.
96th over: India 375-7 (Jadeja 63, Axar 10) Time for Mark Wood. Joe Root gives him a pep talk. Jimmy Anderson, with a good dose of what looks like 1980s sun-in in his hair, watches from the boundary edge in florescent bib. Wood runs in a full tilt – a couple of singles.
Vanessa, I think we’re running out of options here.
Simon Reid-Kay offers a young Charles Dance.
And Andrew Benton, Terry Thomas:
95th over: India 373-7 (Jadeja 63, Axar 9) Root again. Hope he doesn’t have to come in this evening with half an hour to spare. His third ball is driven, with huge stride, and great panache, through the covers by Axar for four.
Hello Martin Fisher. “Ah, England back out on tour in India. The perfect excuse on a slow Friday morning to dig out Rob’s brilliant article looking back incredulously at England’s shambolic 1993 tour. The bad old good old days - what a time to be an England supporter! Gets funnier every time i revisit it, Rob Smyth I salute you!”
Agreed! Such a great read.
94th over: India 367-7 (Jadeja 62, Axar 4) Four byes, as Leach sends one leg side and neither Jadeja, nor Foakes can get anything on it. And we take drinks for the final time today, with the Indian lead 110.
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93rd over: India 362-7 (Jadeja 61, Axar 4) Axar Patel blocks out an over of Root. Consecutive maidens – but does Jadeja feel pressure?
Hive mind not working. “Sorry no, head in hands,” writes Vanessa Edwards “1960s maybe? I’m older than I realise. This actor is sooo Hartley that I’ve even checked Tom’s parentage and grandparentage.”
How about this then, from Joseph Hutchinson. “Is it Bernard Hepton (who played Toby Esterhase in the 1970s adaptation of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy)?”
92nd over: India 362-7 (Jadeja 61, Axar 4) Another Leach maiden, his sixth.
91st over: India 362-7 (Jadeja 61, Axar 4) After that dog’s-breakfast of a wicket, Axar Patel hoofs the ball through cover. Rehan Ahmed performs a spectacular bit of fielding on the boundary, but four is called after his hand appears to brush the rope.
WICKET! Ashwin run out (Hartley) 1 (India 358-7)
Complete balls-up by India, as Ashwin pokes the ball into the covers and both players end up at the same end, while Foakes collects the ball from the sardonic, raised eyebrowed, aristocrat, and whips off the bails.
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90th over: India 357-6 (Jadeja 60, Ashwin 1) A quiet maiden from Leach
A couple of votes for Peter Bowles, from Prakash Anand, Chris Goater and
89th over: India 357-6 (Jadeja 60, Ashwin 1) Bharat just has time to crack Root over long on for four before being sent on his way after falling about like a scrambled egg. The lead now 111. Time for some Wood?
WICKET! Bharat lbw Root 41 (India 356-6)
Bharat reviews but it is a a ripping spinner that hits him on the back thigh as he drops for the slog-sweep. Umpire’s call and he must march off, which he does with a roar of frustration. The Root smile returns.
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88th over: India 352-5 (Jadeja 60, Bharat 37) Leach is back, and beats Bharat’s outside edge. We wait while Stokes rejigs the field for Jadeja. A handful of singles.
Hello Brian Withington! “Based on the ferocity of appeals and subsequent rueful desolation, I’m guessing England could comfortably get through three reviews each and every session. Ben Foakes may be a very fine glove man but I fear he is an even worse judge of an LBW than Stuart Broad in his celebrappealing pomp. High praise indeed?”
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87th over: India 349-5 (Jadeja 59, Bharat 35) Some pretty balls from Root, but three taken from it
Vanessa, Colum Farrelly suggests Anthony Valentine?
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86th over: India 346-5 (Jadeja 58, Bharat 33) Hartley/Peter Egan/ Anthony Andrews/Patrick Malahide/Simon Cadell/Peter Egan takes the new ball at the other end. Three from it. The lead stretches to 100.
And I’m afraid, Vanessa still isn’t satisfied. “Good guesses, but no banana, Think sardonic, raised eyebrow, receding hairline, Upper class type....”
The new ball is taken
85th over: India 343-5 (Jadeja 58, Bharat 30) Joe Root takes the new ball from the pavilion end. And the second ball, a full toss, gets driven for four by Jadeja. “It has slipped because of the laquer on the new ball,” says KP.
An email from showbizguru: “My man on the ground ( my son ) reports still no bottled water on sale or suncream allowed in the ground but there are more soft drinks sellers around since yesterday. He’s yearning for those halcyon days of being ripped off at English cricket grounds.” Ouch. I don’t know what’s worse, no suncream, or no water. Has he tried the sweetcorn?
84th over: India 339-5 (Jadeja 54, Bharat 30) A slightly weary plod to Rehan’s step now, 19 overs, one for 95. Some energetic fielding by Bairstow.
83rd over: India 336-5 (Jadeja 52, Bharat 29) The ecstatic crowd get what they want, the Jadeja sword swing, as he reaches fifty with a tight single and an overthrow.
Briefly departing from Tom Hartley’s lookalike, Kit Sedgwick has news “From inside the Rajiv Gandhi stadium I can report that the tempting-looking cups of mango ice cream are, in fact, little cups of sweetcorn. I know. We were disappointed, too.” No!!!!
82nd over: India 333-5 (Jadeja 49, Bharat 29) Bharat milks ten from the over, as Rehan sends a couple of very short ones down.
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81st over: India 323-5 (Jadeja 49, Bharat 19) At last it seems as if Root has got his lbw, but Jadeja replays immediately and the replay shows bat onto pad. The crowd, on tenterhooks for the Jadeja fifty, roar with glee. Root not very amused.
And three votes for Patrick Malahide, from Will Symonds, Christopher Elphick and John Starbuck
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80th over: India 322-5 (Jadeja 49, Bharat 18) Just one off Rehan, and that’s the new ball available, if England fancy it.
79th over: India 321-5 (Jadeja 49, Bharat 17) Bharat slaps Root for four, another close lbw shout, but no cigar.
John in Brisbane, suggests Nigel Havers, start of 1980s classic The Charmer, as “the one who came into my mind first”
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78th over: India 314-5 (Jadeja 49, Bharat 10) Rehan at the other end, four casually pocketed, including two off the last ball which again bounced unexpectedly.
And another great Tom Hartley guess, this time fromRupert Moffatt.
“I think I’ve guessed it – Hi-de-Hi! And Tales of the Unexpected star, Simon Cadell. He was a friend of my father’s and lived close by, and I remember him from when I was very young.”
Evening session - India lead by 63 runs
77th over: India 310-5 (Jadeja 45, Bharat 9) A roar of an appeal from Root, though I’m too busy trying to curate a picture of Peter Egan to catch it. Not out anyway. The second new ball is due in three overs.
Happy Republic day to everyone in India, a national holiday, which helps explain why there is such a great crowd in.
Back to Tom Hartley. Two offers from the office, where John Windmill suggests a young Anthony Andrews
And Stuart Goodwin, Peter Egan
Key event
While I go and grab a coffee, and England regroup, a mystery for the OBO to solve.
“Does anyone know the name of the English posh character actor, probably from TV series in the 1970s or 1980s, who closely resembles Tom Hartley?” asks Vanessa Edwards. “It’s driving me spare, and googling has failed to supply the answer.”
76th over: India 309-5 (Jadeja 45, Bharat 9) Jadeja fires Rehan’s first ball past short fine leg for four. Stokes decides to draw Bairstow in at silly point, who tucks his folded cap in his waistband and pulls on a helmet. Three close fielders now. Oooof, one bounces suddenly from nowhere, Bharat survives. And that’s tea.
75th over: India 304-5 (Jadeja 40, Bharat 9) Root really getting into his stride with his appeals, a double-handed crouch for an lbw against Bharat, but there’s a tickle of a bat. And another maiden rolls by. One over left before tea, I think.
John Starbuck, it’s been a while. Hello!
“Hi. It looks as if the omission of record-holder Anderson for this game might have been the wrong decision. Of course, they might be, somewhat clumsily, trying to ease him out, but you’d have thought that two and a half spinners and two seamers would be a better balance on any pitch.” It was certainly a brave decision. I’m wondering if he wasn’t quite in the groove?
74th over: India 304-5 (Jadeja 40, Bharat 9) Rehan returns, with one of those severe teenage boys fringes, and whistles through a maiden in about 60 seconds.
73rd over: India 304-5 (Jadeja 40, Bharat 9) Root, who has recovered his equilibrium, sends down five dots, before Jadeja picks up a quick single. Outside my window, a blackbird chortles a song.
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72nd over: India 303-5 (Jadeja 39, Bharat 9) Huge effort from Wood to fire a couple of balls half way down the pitch, the last barely passes Bharat’s head as he drops to a crouch.
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71st over: India 300-5 (Jadeja 37, Bharat 8) As Root takes over, for his ninth over of the day, do send me your thoughts on the match, or life in general, on tanya.aldred.freelance@theguardian.com . Ooooh, what’s that, a drop I think, no , an outside edge that loops up off Jadeja and bounces just in front of the diving Leach at backward point , and hits him in the throat and he lands on his tummy. Root hides his head in hand. And then another cracking ball, Bharat pushes forward and ball bounds to short leg. Not out says umpire Reiffel. Root is uncharacteristically deeply pisssed off, and stalks off, covering his face with his cap. Though ultra-edge also says, not out.
70th over: India 298-5 (Jadeja 36, Bharat 7) The camera homes in on the crease, where the pitch looks on the dusty side of dry. Wood screams a couple of balls in at 91mph, three singles off the over.
69th over: India 295-5 (Jadeja 35, Bharat 5) A really good looking crowd watches intently, though things have calmed down since Rob left – good of India to keep him awake by thrashing England around the park. A tray-carrying salesman tempts punters with some delicious looking mango ice-cream (?) in little cups. Just a single off Leach, with half an hour till tea.
68th over: India 294-5 (Jadeja 35, Bharat 4) Stokes turns to his pace card, who throws himself into proceedings with typical gusto . A big lbw appeal, but it would have screamed past stump, and a delivery from very wide of the stump that ends with Wood tripping over in his follow-through. The commentators think they can sniff reverse-swing.
67th over: India 292-5 (Jadeja 35, Bharat 3) Hartley continues, shirt untucked, Leach like. Though actually he’s so tall, his shirt might not actually tuck into his trousers. Just a miserly one off the over, as India take a breath.
“Good morning Tanya.” Hello Krishnamoorthy V!
“What do you reckon is a daunting score for England to survive in their 2nd innings?
“And, let us stretch this game a little longer, what will be a difficult score to chase in the 4th innings (Straight face)“
You’ve got to add Bazball to a Hyderabad pitch, take away this and that, throw in a pinch of salt and a touch of Ashwin…. if India get a lead of 150, England are in big trouble. (Lead currently 46)
66th over: India 291-5 (Jadeja 34, Bharat 3) Huge appeal by England for a caught behind against Bharat, but the umpire says no, and England have burned through all their reviews, so that’s that. And actually, in the end, ultra-edge shows no zig-zag line. And another Leach maiden. The fightback starts here. Maybe.
65th over: India 291-5 (Jadeja 34, Bharat 3) The tall young figure of Hartley wheels in, Jadeja, cap low over the brow, beard immaculate, casually pancakes him, cross legged, for six into the crowd. But Rahul, so good, who seemed nailed on for a hundred, falls in search of another big boundary.
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WICKET! KL Rahul c Rehan b Hartley 86 (India 288-5)
Falls for a long hop! Rahul pulls low and straight to Rehan Ahmed on the rope. Ben Stokes raises his hands to the heavens in broad-smiled relief
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64th over: India 281-4 (Rahul 86, Jadeja 27) Thanks Rob, smashing work as always, off to bed with you. I came downstairs to see KL Rahul take India into the lead with a six and things haven’t gone much better for England since then – the lead already 35. Leach picks up after the break, immediately spins past the pushing blade of Rahul, and finishes with that rare beast, a maiden.
63rd over: India 281-4 (Rahul 86, Jadeja 27) Hartley replaces Rehan, and Jadeja – clumps a full toss down the ground for four. That brings up an unwelcome debut century from Tom Hartley, whose has struggling to control his length.
That’s drinks. I’m shattered so I’m going to hand over to the great Tanya Aldred – bye!
62nd over: India 276-4 (Rahul 85, Jadeja 23) “Which pundit can explain the mystery of the track that turns viciously on one day and behaves like an M3 the next?” says Krishnamoorthy V. “Looking on the bright side, you do not have to get up early on Sunday.”
It might not be the track that has changed.
61st over: India 275-4 (Rahul 84, Jadeja 23) Foakes goes up for LBW on his own when Jadeja pushes round a skiddy delivery from Rehan. Missing leg.
After a slow start, Jadeja is motoring. He drives Rehan for four to bring up a rapid fifty partnership.
60th over: India 269-4 (Rahul 83, Jadeja 18) Another close shave for Jadeja, who charges Leach and clouts the ball into orbit. Somehow it lands between the two fielders running towards cow corner.
Jadeja is not out! Yep, it missed the bat and gloves by quite a way.
Jadeja is given out – but he reviews instantly
It was a bat-pad catch to short leg, the ball after he’d blootered Leach for six. The speed with which he reviewed suggests he probably isn’t out.
59th over: India 261-4 (Rahul 81, Jadeja 11) Jadeja jumps all over a short ball from Rehan, pulling it brusquely for four. England’s young spinners are really struggling for consistency.
58th over: India 254-4 (Rahul 79, Jadeja 7) There are Too many fourballs on offer tat the moment. Root, who has generally bowled really well, lets slip a curving full toss that Jadeja waves through mid-on for four.
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57th over: India 250-4 (Rahul 79, Jadeja 3) Rahul hurries India into the lead with two sixes off Rehan. Both were launched over long-on, the second from a long hop. Rehan’s economy rate is now higher than Tom Hartley’s, but I guess that’s not a surprise for a teenager legspinner.
“England Bazballed that wicket, dried up the runs after lunch and Shreyas lashed out,” says Andy Bradshaw. “And yes I’m using Bazball to describe everything at the moment.”
How’s Bazball? How’s Bazball?! HOW’S BAZBALL?
56th over: India 238-4 (Rahul 67, Jadeja 3) Root replaces Leach, mainly with the left-handed Jadeja in mind, but it’s Rahul who survives a big LBW appeal. The ball turned really sharply to hit him on the back leg in front of the stumps. Height saved Rahul on the field, and England don’t have any reviews left.
Replays show it was umpire’s call on height.
55th over: India 234-4 (Rahul 65, Jadeja 1) If India had their six-for-nought tail, England would be back in this game. But Ashwin, Patel and Bharat are all very good lower-middle-order batters, so there is loads of work to do.
They have to get KL Rahul out for a start. He makes room to back cut Rehan for four, a shot of very high class, and then sweeps impatiently for four more. It’s ludicrous that he has a Test average of 34.
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54th over: India 224-4 (Rahul 56, Jadeja 0) Despite spending the lunch break bathing in coffee, I’m struggling to stay awake. It doesn’t help that Jadeja has started his innings like a grown-up, defending solidly on the front foot. England appeal for a bat-pad catch off the bowling of Leach, but the umpire isn’t interested.
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53rd over: India 223-4 (Rahul 55, Jadeja 0) Rehan has a slip, leg slip and short leg for the new batter Ravindra Jadeja. He completes a wicket maiden, which gives him figures of 2-2-0-1 since lunch. England desperately needed a strong start to the afternoon session.
WICKET! India 223-4 (Shreyas c Hartley b Rehan 35)
Shreyas Iyer clouts a googly from Rehan Ahmed straight to deep midwicket, where Tom Hartley takes a comfortable catch. Hartley was the only man out on the leg side; Shreyas picked him out perfectly.
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52nd over: India 223-3 (Rahul 55, Shreyas 35) Jack Leach, who bowled only two overs before lunch, comes into the attack. Rahul, playing tentatively outside off stump, almost drags the ball back onto the stumps. That’s a decent start from Leach – accurate and with a bit of admittedly slow turn.
51st over: India 222-3 (Rahul 55, Shreyas 34) Rehan Ahmed’s second ball after lunch is a beauty, turning just enough to beat KL Rahul’s defensive push. It’s a good start – the first maiden of the day in fact.
“Morning Rob,” says Felix Wood. “When waking several hours before the alarm is due to go off my go-to to get back to sleep is not counting sheep but picturing a batsman playing for an inevitable draw on a late summer’s day. A series of easy defences, pushing the ball into the covers. This works far better than counting sheep, except when there’s actual cricket on, in which case it just reminds me of that and I’m forced to get up and watch it. I can only see this getting worse as I get older.
“Anyway, what’s the thinking with Hartley here? He doesn’t look at all like taking a wicket and is an easy five and a half runs an over. Is the Bazball thinking to just accept a deficit and keep the other spinners fresh for the second innings in the hope the pitch gets worse and India are chasing an even slightly challenging target?”
I don’t think it’s that, as freshness is rarely an issue for spinners. I suspect it’s a combination of stubbornness and support, maybe a bit of data too.
Lunch: India trail by 24 runs
India’s session, and you’ll be reading that phrase a few times in the next month. It started perfectly for England when Joe Root dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal in the first over of the day. Tom Hartley picked up his first Test wicket when the unconvincing Shubman Gill dragged to midwicket, but they couldn’t dismiss a vulnerable Shreyas Iyer early on and now the game is getting away from them.
KL Rahul, who was dropped on 0 by Ben Foakes (though it probably wouldn’t have been out because the umpire gave a leg-bye), otherwise played the Kohli role superbly.
England bowled too many bad balls, in truth, and not enough good ones. There were a couple of headscratchers: Jack Leach bowled only two overs all morning, and the pitch seemed much more benign than yesterday. ‘Seemed’ is the operative word, because India weren’t bowling on it.
50th over: India 222-3 (Rahul 55, Shreyas 34) Root moves back over the wicket and skids one past Shreyas’s outside edge. He started the session with a wicket, but he can’t end it with one. That’s lunch.
49th over: India 217-3 (Rahul 51, Shreyas 33) Shreyas under-edges a wide ball from Rehan that bounces to hit Foakes in the grille. He’s fine. And so, after a nervous start, is Shreyas; he ends the over by scrunching a fast-handed boundary down the ground.
Meanwhile, West Indies have reduced Australia to 24-4 at the Gabbatoir.
48th over: India 212-3 (Rahul 50, Shreyas 29) Joe Root replaces Tom Hartley. His third ball is slightly too short, allowing Shreyas to skip back and batter a boundary through the covers. That brings up an increasingly assured fifty partnership.
And off the last ball of the over, Rahul takes a single to reach a serene, stylish half-century from 72 balls. It’s far too early to say he has finally cracked it, but he does look in superb touch right now.
47th over: India 205-3 (Rahul 48, Shreyas 24) There’s so much to like about Rehan Ahmed, not least that he’s a teenage English legspinner, and Ravi Shastri is being very complimentary on commentary. He has looked quite threatening in this spell, and there are a few oohs and aahs when Shreyas takes a googly off his pads at the last minute.
46th over: India 203-3 (Rahul 47, Shreyas 23) Shreyas gets a leading edge off Hartley that lands safely. Hartley comes painfully close to his first Test maiden, only for Shreyas to push a single off the last ball.
I’d love to know Stokes’ thought process here. Hartley has bowled 11 overs today to Leach’s two. He’s England’s greatest-ever cricketer, with a cricket IQ of 180+, so he can do what he likes. It’s just interesting.
West Indies are brawling in Brisbane, where Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne have fallen inside the first two overs. Martin Pegan has more.
45th over: India 202-3 (Rahul 47, Shreyas 22) Rahul can’t punish a loopy full toss from Rehan, but there’s plenty of runs to go round later in the over. India are well on top now. It’s interesting that the pitch hasn’t turned that much today; hard to know whether that’s down the heavy roller, the bowling or something else. I bet it will turn when Ashwin and Jadeja bowl again.
44th over: India 198-3 (Rahul 46, Shreyas 19) Hartley has changed ends to replace Wood. I wonder what Jack Leach, who has bowled only two overs today, makes of it all. Or Root for that matter, as he’s been England’s best bowler today.
Hartley is milked for three low-risk singles, which gives him updated figures of 19-0-96-1.
43rd over: India 195-3 (Rahul 44, Shreyas 18) Rehan Ahmed comes on for Tom Hartley. He starts superbly to Shreyas, who is beaten by the first ball and edges the second just short of Root at slip. But when the bad ball comes, and it usually does with teenager leggies, Shreyas rocks back to smash a one-bounce four to cow corner.
42nd over: India 191-3 (Rahul 44, Shreyas 14) This is Wood’s fourth over, so it might be the last of this spell. Shreyas looks a bit more comfortable – okay, a bit less uncomfortable – and the over passes without incident.
41st over: India 189-3 (Rahul 43, Shreyas 13) Ouch. A half-tracker from Hartley is pulled savagely for six by Shreyas. Hartley has bowled a bit better today but not well enough to justify being given as many overs as the other three spinners combined. He has figures of 18-0-93-1; the others have combined figures of 18-2-68-2.
40th over: India 181-3 (Rahul 43, Shreyas 5) Wood is starting to work Shreyas over: a lifter past the edge, a reverse inswinger that takes the inside-edge and thuds into the pad.
Shreyas is struggling - but England know that if he gets through this spell from Wood he could really hurt them.
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39th over: India 179-3 (Rahul 42, Shreyas 4) It might be a trick of the mind, but Hartley’s control seems better since he took that wicket. There’s a precautionary run-out referral agaisnt the non-striker Iyer, though everyone kne he was home safely.
Iyer then comes down the track to hack a couple through midwicket. It would have been four but for a good stop by Rehan Ahmed.
38th over: India 175-3 (Rahul 41, Shreyas 1) Rahul takes a single off Wood’s first ball, thus exposing Shreyas. England make great play of setting a field for the short ball – and then Wood zips a fuller one past the outside edge. There’s a bit of an appeal for caught behind, and Stokes motions to review before realising he has none left. I don’t think he nicked it anyway.
The short ball comes soon enough. Shreyas avoids the first and muscles an awkward pull for a single off the second. Wood’s pace isn’t Ashes-level yet, peaking in the low rather than the mid 90s, but the stoppy nature of the pitch is making his bouncer tricky to line up.
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37th over: India 173-3 (Rahul 40, Shreyas 0) Shreyas recoils in surprise after defending a ball from Hartley that may have stopped in the pitch. He plays out the rest of the over comfortably enough, which means Rahul will again be on strike at the start of Wood’s next over. First, a drinks break.
36th over: India 172-3 (Rahul 39, Shreyas 0) The new batter is Shreyas Iyer, so it’s no surprise to see Mark Wood come straight into the attack. Shreyas has had problems with the short ball.
KL Rahul is on strike to start. He inside edges the second ball past the stumps for four, then times the next exquisitely to the point boundary. That’s a gorgeous stroke. He makes it three boundaries in the over with a flap-pull round the corner – and, just as importantly, he ensures Wood doesn’t get a look at Shreyas. It’s exemplary batting because he knows Wood can’t bowl for long.
A reminder that Rahul was dropped on nought by Ben Foakes, although Ravi Shastri makes the point that he wouldn’t have been out anyway: the umpire gave a bye and England excreted their reviews yesterday evening.
35th over: India 159-3 (Rahul 25, Shreyas 0) That was an odd innings from Gill, 23 from 66 balls with little rotation of strike.
Tom Hartley's 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁 in international Test cricket 🙌@tomhartley100 👏#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/Pp7lPXFG0F
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) January 26, 2024
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WICKET! India 159-3 (Gill c Duckett b Hartley 23)
Tom Hartley gets his first Test wicket! It’s another tame dismisal for Shubman Gill, who drags a half-volley straight to midwicket. England needed a wicket; Hartley really needed one.
Photograph: Mahesh Kumar A/AP
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34th over: India 158-2 (Gill 23, Rahul 25) Leach is by far the most accurate of England’s four spinners, and England need a nice clean pitch map from him now. His second over is good, just a single from it.
The ball hasn’t turned much this morning. Sunil Gavaskar thinks it might be the effect of the roller, which should wear off as the day progresses.
33rd over: India 157-2 (Gill 23, Rahul 24) Hartley continues, so Root takes a break after a good spell of 4-0-14-1. Gill continues to play one immaculate forward defensive after another; he has 23 from 63 balls, Rahul 24 from 36. There’s more than one way to feed yourself.
32nd over: India 156-2 (Gill 23, Rahul 23) Jack Leach comes into the attack, but it’s in place of JR rather than Hartley. Maybe Root will change ends.
Leach’s second ball is a full toss that Gill flicks easily for four. England’s promising start feels like a thing of the past: since Stokes lost sight of that chance to dismiss Gill there have been 24 runs from four overs.
31st over: India 149-2 (Gill 18, Rahul 21) Hartley has bowled some good deliveries – as I type he skids one past Rahul’s attempted cut – but there has been no consistency of line and length. His figures is are 13-0-78-0, which is exactly a run a ball.
30th over: India 145-2 (Gill 16, Rahul 19) KL Rahul has started positively. Root drifts onto leg stump and is swept firmly past short fine leg for four. That aside it’s another good over; Root has bowled well.
It’s time to get Jack Leach on for Tom Hartley I think. You can understand Stokes wanting to support Hartley as much as possible, but this is such a key period in the game.
29th over: India 141-2 (Gill 16, Rahul 15) Rahul drives Hartley for successive boundaries through mid-on. Beautiful shots, but both deliveries were too full and too straight.
England have already missed chances to dismiss Gill and Rahul. The commentators all agree that Stokes must have lost that ball in the sun.
28th over: India 132-2 (Gill 16, Rahul 6) Rahul comes down the track, but Root sees him coming and spears it down the leg side. Rahul twists his bat desperately and gets a leading edge that drops short of Root.
Hang on, what happened there? Gill charges Root and launches a mishit into orbit, but Stokes at mid-on loses sight of the ball! Had he picked it up it would hve been a simple catch. I’m not sure I’ve seen that before, not in good light anyway.
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27th over: India 127-2 (Gill 14, Rahul 3) It’s easy to forget, given their enormous ability, that Gill and Rahul are both under a bit of pressure. Their Test averages are unfathomably low, and Gill hasn’t passed 40 in his last nine innings. He is playing very carefully, which at least, from an England perspective, is allowing Hartley to settle into a rhythm. His figures today at 2-0-2-0.
Play has also resumed in Brisbane, where West Indies are 273 for eight against Australia. You can follow that with Martin Pegan.
26th over: India 126-2 (Gill 14, Rahul 2) Bairstow, lurking just off the cut strip at silly mid-on, fields a drive from Rahul and flings the ball to Foakes in the same movement. England have made an aggressive start.
25th over: India 125-2 (Gill 14, Rahul 1) Tom Hartley gets a vote of confidence from Ben Stokes. There are two right-handers now, and no Jaiswal, so he will hope to settle into the innings. It’s a good start, with just a single to Rahul off the last ball. Never mind a first Test wicket; Hartley’s still striving for his first Test maiden.
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Oh my, Foakes did drop KL Rahul. It was a sharp chance by his right bicep, but he’s in the team to take those. “By Ben Foakes’ standards,” says Dinesh Karthik on commentary, “that’s a pretty easy catch.”
24th over: India 124-2 (Gill 14, Rahul 0) KL Rahul has moved to No4 in the absence of Virat Kohli. He’s a marvellous player, whose Test average of 33 is a minor scandal.
Root starts around the wicket and zips his second ball past the edge. Was that a dropped catch? There was a noise, and Foakes fumbled the ball, but we haven’t seen UltraEdge yet.
KP knows of what he speaks
Can Joe Root PLEASE bowl first up this morning!
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) January 26, 2024
He WIL spin the ball! 🙏🏽#INDvENG
WICKET! India 123-2 (Jaiswal ct and b Root 80)
Joe Root strikes fourth ball! Jaiswal had already dragged him over mid-on for four, but it wasn’t the cleanest strike. He tried to go down the ground again and scuffed the ball back to Root, who leapt to take a very smart two-handed catch.
Joe Root's got him! 💥🏏
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) January 26, 2024
It's all happening in the first over of the day 🙌#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/xwGa9QFGae
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Joe Root, who was surprisingly unused yesterday, will open the bowling to Yashasvi Jaiswal.
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The players are almost ready to go. India are in a huddle, with Rohit Sharma delivering the message. It’s the biggest session of the series so far an important morning; England probably need at least three wickets before lunch.
Tom Hartley made his debut, and it says something about the 24-year-old’s current standing that if you type his name into Google – at least in the UK – the top result is a luxury car dealership in Derbyshire.
Bazball Masterclass: Taking the Positives
Read Ali Martin’s day one report
Preamble
Morning one, morning all. Reality has a healthy set of molars, doesn’t it? We all know how hard India away would be, yet it still bit hard when they got stuck into Tom Hartley yesterday evening. India will resume on 119 for one, a deficit of 127 on a pitch that is day two in name, day four in nature.
With these players on this surfacee, anything is possible on this surface: an England fightback, a two-day Test, a Yashasvi Jaiswal double-hundred. The only thing we know for sure is that the game will move pretty fast.
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