Derbyshire vs India: Day 2 - First session report
Derbyshire’s declaration on 326/5 at the end of Day 1 of the 2nd practice game between India and Derbyshire meant that, going into Day 2, it was time for the Indians to get some batting practice in the middle.
Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan opened the batting for India, giving a strong hint that the pair of them will be picked in India’s playing XI for the 1st Test match at Trent Bridge ahead of the 3rd and more experienced opener in the squad Gautam Gambhir. This was a glorious opportunity for both Dhawan and Vijay to spend time in the middle and get a feel for the English conditions, but both of them, unfortunately, failed to make use of their chance.
Vijay was the first one to be dismissed, courtesy of Mark Turner, Derbyshire’s opening bowler, who had Vijay lbw for just 6 off 26 balls. Dhawan, Vijay’s opening partner, followed suit by nicking the Derbyshire seamer, Ben Cotton, to the wicket-keeper for an identical 6 off 26 balls, leaving India tottering at 18/2.
This led to Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli having to come out to bat earlier than they would’ve hoped. Pujara and Kohli, by common consensus, are considered India’s best Test match batsmen and they showed why, by being composed at the crease when the team was in a bit of strife. They showed good judgment outside off-stump and, at the same time, were quick to punish anything loose.
The Derbyshire bowlers, by and large, didn’t waver from their lines and lengths in the morning session and made sure that runs were hard to come by for the Indian pair.
Pujara finished the morning session on 20 from 56 balls and Kohli on 36 from 86 balls and thereby have taken the team into lunch on Day 2 safely at 76/2 and would be looking to convert their starts into big scores come the end of play on Day 2.