3 talking points from Day 2 of the 4th IND vs ENG Test ft. Yashasvi Jaiswal's resistance
England took complete control of the fourth Test against India after an excellent Day 2 at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Saturday, February 24.
Ollie Robinson and Joe Root ensured that the visitors weren't bowled out cheaply in the first session and took their team to an above-par 353. India lost seven wickets in the day, scoring 219 runs in 73 attritional overs. At Stumps, Dhruv Jurel and Kuldeep Yadav were at the crease, with the home side trailing by 134 runs.
On that note, here are three talking points from Day 2 of the fourth Test between India and England.
#3 Yashasvi Jaiswal stood tall amid the rubble
Apart from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill was the only Indian batter to cross the 35-run mark on Day 2 in Ranchi. The left-handed opener once again carried the lineup with a gritty knock in challenging conditions.
Jaiswal was assured in defense and decisive with his footwork for most of his innings. He hit eight fours and a six in the 117 balls he faced and seemed to be getting a move on when he was on the receiving end of a shooter from Shoaib Bashir.
If not for Jaiswal's resistance, India could've been rolled over embarrassingly on Day 2.
#2 With the pitch deteriorating, the Test might be beyond India's reach already
Only two days have passed in the Test, but the Ranchi pitch is already playing plenty of tricks.
Ravindra Jadeja was dismissed by one that had extra bounce, while Jaiswal and Ravichandran Ashwin were sent back by ones that kept low. Even aside from the wicket-taking balls, many behaved capriciously.
India face a marathon effort to come anywhere near England's total, and after that, they will have the unenviable task of facing up in the fourth innings of the Test. With three days to go, the game might be beyond their reach already.
#1 Shoaib Bashir's marathon spell gave England control
Shoaib Bashir was brought back into England's XI for the fourth Test after missing out in Rajkot, and it was his marathon spell that gave his team control over the contest.
Bashir bowled undisturbed from one end throughout the second session and was taken off for only one over in the final session of the day. The off-spinner was relentlessly accurate throughout his 32 overs, which yielded four wickets.
Bashir was picked for his high release point, but he's much more than that. The youngster could be around England's team for a long time to come, given his control and obvious smarts.