New Delhi [India], February 13 (ANI): As the Chepauk pitch continues to provide assistance to the spinners on the very first day of the second Test between India and England at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, former Three Lions skipper Michael Vaughan termed the wicket as a “beach” on Saturday.
In the match, India won the toss and elected to bat first. Rohit Sharma scored a quick-fire fifty but English spinners (Moeen Ali and Jack Leach) got the better of Virat Kohli (0) and Cheteshwar Pujara (21).
“If England wins this week having lost the toss on this beach … it will be a remarkable Victory … #INDvENG,” tweeted Vaughan.
The wicket in the first Test of the series hadn’t provided this much assistance to the spinners, but the second Test is turning out to be a completely different story on the same ground in Chennai as spinners are having a field day on the very first day of the Test.
At the lunch break, India’s score reads 106/3 with Rohit and Ajinkya Rahane currently unbeaten on 80 and 5 respectively. The first session saw 106 runs being scored from 26 overs.
Opting to bat first, India got off to the worst start possible as the hosts lost the wicket of Gill (0) in just the second over of the day. Olly Stone trapped Gill right in front and as a result, the right-hander was adjudged leg-before wicket. Pujara then joined Rohit in the middle and the duo retrieved the innings for the hosts. While Pujara played in his trademark fashion, Rohit was quick to capitalise on the loose balls and he ensured that the scoreboard kept moving at a brisk pace. Rohit brought up his fifty off just 47 balls in just the 15th over of the innings and he was looking in ominous form.
Both the batters were not looking in any sort of trouble but just 20 minutes before the lunch break, spinner Jack Leach got the better of Pujara (21) and as a result, the batsman was sent back to the pavilion. This dismissal also brought an end to an 85-run stand between Pujara and Rohit. In the very next over, Moeen Ali bowled a stunning delivery and it turned to rattle the stumps of Virat Kohli (0), reducing India to 86/3. In the end, Rahane and Rohit ensured that the hosts did not lose more wickets before the lunch break.
Earlier, skipper Kohli had won the toss and he opted to bat first. The hosts made three changes to their lineup as they brought in Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj in place of Shahbaz Nadeem, Washington Sundar, and Jasprit Bumrah.
On the other hand, England made four changes as the side brought in Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, Olly Stone, and Ben Foakes in place of Dominic Bess, Jofra Archer, James Anderson, and Jos Buttler.
England is already 1-0 up in the four-match series and India needs to win the series by at least a margin of 2-1 in order to make the finals of the World Test Championship (WTC). (ANI)