What happened on Day 1 of the 2nd IND vs ENG 2024 Test?
Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal hammered a brilliant 179* off 257 balls, but England kept striking at regular intervals at the other end as India reached 336/6 at stumps on Day 1 of the 2nd Test in Visakhapatnam on Friday, February 2. While Jaiswal, with 17 fours and five sixes, was the standout performer of the day for India, plenty of batters would be disappointed as they got out after getting started.
Shubman Gill was dismissed for 34, Shreyas Iyer fell for 27, debutant Rajat Patidar made 32 before losing his wicket, while all-rounder Axar Patel fell in the last session for 27. For England, debutant off-spinner Shoaib Bashir and young leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed claimed two wickets each, while James Anderson and Tom Hartley chipped in with one each.
India got off to a disappointing start after winning the toss and batting first. Jaiswal and skipper Rohit Sharma added 40 before the latter glanced one off Bashir to leg slip. Rohit fell for an unimpressive 14 off 41 balls, becoming the England off-spinner’s first Test victim.
Jaiswal and Gill featured in a 49-run stand for the second wicket. The latter, who came into the Test with some pressure on him, looked in good touch, even smashing three fours in a space of four deliveries. Just when Gill looked to be settling in, he perished to Anderson, poking at a probing delivery outside off.
Gill’s wicket, though, did not hamper Jaiswal’s momentum. The left-hander tonked Bashir for six and four off consecutive deliveries to bring up his half-century. Team India went to lunch on Day 1 in Visakhapatnam at 103/2 after an absorbing opening session in the Test.
Jaiswal continued the good work in the second session in the company of Shreyas, the duo adding 90 for the third wicket. The former went after Hartley in the 45th over, smacking him for three consecutive fours. He brought up his second Test hundred in emphatic fashion, launching the England left-arm spinner for a maximum over long-on.
Shreyas, however, fell in disappointing fashion. He attempted to cut one that kept low from Hartley and ended up getting a bottom edge, which was smartly held by the keeper. Jaiswal was then joined by debutant Patidar and the two featured in another useful stand of 70.
While the former continued batting freely, the latter also did not show too many nerves on debut. Patidar began the 59th over by reverse-sweeping Joe Root and crunched the next ball through extra cover for four. India went to tea in a strong position at 225/3.
England strike key blows in last session even as Jaiswal holds fort
Patidar’s debut Test innings ended in a somewhat unlucky fashion. He tried to defend one from leggie Rehan that bounced a little extra, but couldn’t stop the ball from hitting the stumps. Jaiswal found another good partner in Axar as the two added 52 for the fifth wicket.
Jaiswal reached his 150 with a cover drive for four off Root in the 77th over, while Axar also helped himself to a couple of boundaries. The latter, however, perished in soft fashion, cutting Bashir straight to backward point. Local boy Srikar Bharat also looked good during his stay at the crease, but fell for 17 off 23, slashing Rehan to backward point, perishing in a similar manner to Axar.
At stumps on Day 1, Ravichandran Ashwin (5*) was giving company to Jaiswal. While India would be happy with their scoring rate, England too would be pleased at having got six wickets. It would be fair to say that the honors were shared on the opening day in Visakhapatnam.