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The sun peeked through the clouds over Birmingham, promising a better day for batting than the gloomy Day 1. The pitch, however, still had juice.
Inside the dressing room, Virat Kohli gave his final instructions before the pair walked out. "Steady," Kohli said, looking at Shardul. "Don't try to be a hero yet. Defend the good balls. Both of you get settle. We need 400. 400 puts us in the driver's seat."
Shardul Thakur, 'Lord' to his teammates, nodded. "Solid defense, Skip. Got it."
Ravindra Jadeja, twirling his bat, looked calm. He was 17 runs away from a magnificent overseas century.
Nasser Hussain: "Good morning to Edgbaston. Day 2. India 338 for 7. A position of strength, largely thanks to Rishabh Pant yesterday. But Ravindra Jadeja is still there. England needs these last three wickets quickly. James Anderson has the ball."
Over 74: James Anderson to Shardul Thakur
Anderson ran in, fresh and dangerous. Shardul defended with a straight bat. Block. Block. Leave. It was disciplined. It was boring. It was exactly what India needed.
Matty Potts to Ravindra Jadeja
Jadeja was on 83. Potts bowled full. Jadeja leaned into a drive. It wasn't his usual scythe-like cut; it was a pure, textbook straight drive past the bowler. FOUR.
Over: Michael Atherton: "That is glorious. We usually associate Jadeja with gritty runs or square cuts, but he is showing the full range today. He wants that century."
For the first 45 minutes, England was frustrated. Shardul and Jadeja added 30 runs. Shardul moved to 22, playing some surprisingly crisp back-foot punches.
Over: Ben Stokes to Shardul Thakur
Stokes, running in with intent, banged it short. Shardul, perhaps getting a bit overconfident, tried to pull. It got big on him. The ball kissed the glove and flew down the leg side. Sam Billings moved to his left and took a regulation catch.
Ravi Shastri: "And the partnership breaks! Shardul tries to take on the short ball and gloves it. A handy 22, but India would have wanted him to stay longer. 8 down now."
Shardul Thakur c Billings b Stokes :Score: India 375/8
Out walked Mohammed Shami. Shami doesn't do defense. Shami has a simple philosophy: See ball, hit ball.
Over: Matty Potts vs Mohammed Shami
Ball 1: Potts bowled length. Shami swung blindly. The ball flew over the slip cordon. Thick edge. FOUR.
Sunil Gavaskar: "Well, he's not hanging around! Shami has decided it's T20 time. Kohli is smiling in the dressing room. Every run now is a bonus."
Ball 2: Shami stepped out. He lofted Potts over mid-off. Clean hit. FOUR.
Ball 3: Potts went short. Shami hooked. Top edge. It landed safely at fine leg. 2 Runs.
For the next 20 minutes, Shami provided pure entertainment. He slashed, he slogged, he drove. He scored a rapid 28 off just 18 balls. He pushed the score past 400.
Over: Stuart Broad to Shami Broad went full and straight. Shami tried to heave it to cow corner. He missed. The stumps were rearranged.
Nasser Hussain: "The fun is over! Broad cleans him up. But what a cameo! 28 vital runs. India crosses 400. That is a psychological blow to England."
Mohammed Shami b Broad 28 (18)Score: India 413/8
Jasprit Bumrah walked out as the last man. But all eyes were on Ravindra Jadeja, stranded on 98.
Over: James Anderson to Ravindra Jadeja
Jadeja on strike. 98 runs. Anderson bowled outside off. Jadeja tapped it to point. No run. The crowd held its breath.
Ball 3: Anderson bowled straighter. Jadeja flicked it. He placed it perfectly through mid-wicket. He ran one. He turned for two. He completed the second run.
Jadeja dropped his bat, took off his helmet, and then... the signature move. He swirled the bat like a Rajput warrior wielding a sword. Left, right, twirl, sheath. The Edgbaston crowd, even the English fans, applauded.
Ravi Shastri (Booming): "CENTURY FOR THE ROCKSTAR! Ravindra Jadeja! Under pressure, he has played an innings of pure class! Look at the emotion! Look at the sword celebration! He has silenced his critics once and for all!"
Sunil Gavaskar: "What a player he has become. From a bits-and-pieces cricketer to a genuine Test all-rounder who scores hundreds in England. This is special."
Over: The End of Jaddu Jadeja, having reached the milestone, tried to up the ante. He tried to slog Anderson. He missed. Bowled.
Nasser Hussain: "He goes! Anderson gets his 5th wicket! A magnificent innings ends at 104.
Ravindra Jadeja b Anderson 104 (194)Score: India 426/9.
Jasprit Bumrah was on strike. Stuart Broad was bowling. Usually, this is where the innings ends quickly. But Bumrah had other plans. He had channeled his inner Kapil Dev.
Over: Stuart Broad to Jasprit Bumrah
Ball 1: Broad tried to bounce Bumrah. Bumrah hooked. He didn't look at the ball. Top edge. It flew over the keeper for FOUR.
Ball 2: Broad bowled a wide. The keeper missed it. FOUR Wides. Broad was frustrated.
Ball 2 (Re-bowl): Dot
Ball 3: Broad banged it in short again. Bumrah swiveled. He played a proper pull shot. It sailed into the Hollies Stand. SIX!
Michael Atherton: "What is happening?! Jasprit Bumrah is batting like a top-order player! Stuart Broad is losing his mind! That went many rows back!"
Ball 5: Short ball. Bumrah hooked again. One bounce into the fence. FOUR.
Ravi Shastri (Laughing hysterically): "THIS IS MADNESS! ABSOLUTE MADNESS! Jasprit Bumrah has taken Stuart Broad apart! Bumrah is 34 off just 17 balls!"
In the dressing room, Virat Kohli and Aarav Pathak were rolling on the floor laughing. Aarav was clapping so hard his hands hurt. This was humiliation for England.
Over 90: James Anderson to Mohammed Siraj
Bumrah took a single off the first ball of the next over (Anderson). Siraj on strike. Anderson, the professional, didn't mess around. He bowled a straight ball. Siraj swung and missed. Off-stump uprooted.
Mohammed Siraj b Anderson 2 (4)
INNINGS BREAK
Total Score: India 472 All Out
Studio Analysis
Sunil Gavaskar: "472. That is a monumental Score. England will be demoralized. Not just by Pant and Jadeja, but by that assault from Bumrah at the end. That took the wind out of their sails."
Nasser Hussain: "It's sloppy from England. They had India down and out after early wicket of openers and Kohli. Stokes will be furious. Broad lost the plot completely against Bumrah. Now, the Indian pacers—Bumrah, Shami, Siraj, and Aarav—have 472 runs to play with. On this pitch, that is a mountain."
Aarav walked up to Bumrah as he entered the dressing room. "Jassi bhai," Aarav grinned. "You bat better than me. That pull shot was better than my six in the IPL."
Bumrah laughed, shrugging. "I just closed my eyes and swung, Aarav. The bat is good."
Kohli clapped his hands. "Okay boys! Fun is over. We have 472. Now let's bowl them out for 200. Aarav, Bumrah, new ball. Let's hunt."
The Indian team walked out to field, buzzing with energy. England had a mountain to climb, and the Indian pace quartet was licking its lips.
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The morning session had extended slightly longer than England anticipated. While Mohammed Siraj didn't last long, the final wicket partnership between Jasprit Bumrah and the extras (and a few lusty blows) dragged the Indian total to a formidable 472.
It was a mountain. The highest first-innings total by India at Edgbaston in decades. As the Indian team walked out to field, the sun was playing hide and seek with the grey clouds. The Barmy Army in the Hollies Stand was loud, fueled by a morning of beer and chants, trying to lift their openers.
Alex Lees and Zak Crawley walked out to the middle. They looked small against the backdrop of the target.
Nasser Hussain: "472 runs on the board. That is a significant statement from India. England's 'Bazball' approach will be tested to its limit here. They have chased big totals, yes, but against this Indian attack? With the ball swinging? It's a different gravy."
Sanjay Manjrekar: "It's not just the total, Nasser; it's the psychological blow. Bumrah scoring in the end? That scars a team. England looked deflated in the field. Now they have to face the music."
Harsha Bhogle: "And the conductor of that music is marking his run-up right now. Aarav Pathak. The leading wicket-taker of the series. He has the new cherry in hand."
The Stats Graphic
The screen flashed a graphic that made the English fans groan.
AARAV PATHAK vs ENGLAND (This Series - 2021/22)
Matches: 3
Wickets: 19
Average: 14.20
Best: 7/0 (7 Overs, 7 Maidens, 5 Wickets at Leeds - World Record Spell)
Nasser Hussain: "I was there at when he bowled that magical spell of 7 maiden with 5 wicket haul. It was the most disciplined, hostile piece of bowling I have ever seen. He didn't give a run. He just took wickets. Zak Crawley, on strike later, averages just 9 against him. That is a mental disintegration waiting to happen."
Sanjay Manjrekar: "And that's why Virat Kohli has given him the new ball ahead of Bumrah and Shami. He wants to exploit that mental edge immediately."
Aarav Pathak stood at the top of his mark. He held the brand new Dukes ball. He rubbed it vigorously on his trousers, checking the shine. The seam stood up like a razor blade.
He looked at the field. Virat Kohli, the captain, had set a ring of steel. Four slips. A gully. A short leg. "Attack," Kohli clapped. "Make them play."
Aarav started his run-up. The rhythmic thud of his boots accelerated. He gathered momentum, leaped into his delivery stride, his arm came over... But he didn't release the ball. He stopped dead in his follow-through without letting go.
Alex Lees, who had triggered into his defensive stance, stood up, exhaling sharply.
Aarav didn't say a word. He just walked back to the stumps at the non-striker's end, looked at the field placement again, moved the second slip (Kohli) two inches to the right, and walked back to his mark.
Harsha Bhogle: "Oh, games! Mind games straight away! He ran all the way in and didn't bowl. He is making Lees wait. He is letting the tension build. Look at Kohli smiling; he loves this aggression."
Nasser Hussain: "It's annoying as a batter. You tense up, you get ready, and then... nothing. You have to reset. And against someone bowling 150 clicks, resetting is hard."
Ball 1: Aarav ran in again. This time, he delivered. It was a thunderbolt. 152.4 kmph. Full, swinging in late. Alex Lees, eyes wide, just about managed to get his bat down. A solid forward defense. The ball thudded into the middle of the bat. Dot.
Ball 2: Aarav went slightly wider. Outswinger. Lees watched it closely. He shouldered arms. The ball flew to Rishabh Pant at chest height. The carry was tremendous. Dot.
Ball 3: Another outswinger, closer to the off stump. Lees covered his stumps and left it. Dot.
Ball 4: Aarav banged it in short of a length. Lees rose on his toes and dropped his wrists. Good leave. Dot.
Ball 5: Fuller, inviting the drive. Lees resisted. Left alone. Dot.
Ball 6: Aarav finished with a jaffa. It pitched on off and straightened. Lees played inside the line, beaten by a whisker. Dot.
Maiden Over.
Sanjay Manjrekar: "Immaculate. He challenged the stumps, challenged the edge, and gave nothing away. That is how you start a defense of 472."
Over 2: Boom Boom Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah took the ball from the other end. His unique action always unsettled openers.
Ball 1:Zak Crawley on strike. Tall, elegant, but fragile against moving balls. Bumrah bowled a length ball on the pads. Crawley flicked it to deep square leg. 1 Run.
Ball 2: Alex Lees on strike. Bumrah angled it across. Lees defended to point. Dot.
Ball 3-6: Bumrah bowled a probing line outside off. Lees was disciplined. He left well. End of Over 2.Score: Eng 1/0.
Over 3:
Nasser Hussain: "Here is the matchup England fears. Aarav Pathak to Zak Crawley. The stats are horrific for the Englishman. He has been dismissed three times in this series by Aarav. He looks nervous."
Ball 1: Aarav ran in. He knew Crawley liked to drive. He bowled a length ball, just back of a driving length. Crawley pushed at it tentatively. The ball nipped back slightly. Inside edge onto the pad. Dot.
Harsha Bhogle: "Crawley looks fidgety. He's shuffling across, trying to get outside the line. He doesn't want to be there."
Ball 2: Aarav bowled wide outside off. A tempter. Crawley thought about the cut, then withdrew. Dot.
Sanjay Manjrekar: "You can see the psychological error here. Crawley is looking for a single. He just wants to get off strike. He doesn't want to face Aarav. When you play the bowler instead of the ball, you are in trouble."
Ball 3: Aarav saw the hesitation. He cranked up the pace. 151 kmph. He bowled it fuller, shaping away. Crawley went for a loose drive—a nervous shot to break the shackles. He missed the ball completely. It whistled past the outside edge. The gap between bat and ball was massive. Pant collected it and threw it up in excitement. "Oye hoye! Darr gaya! (He's scared!)"
Nasser Hussain: "That is a poor shot. Feet stuck in cement. Hands throwing at the ball. He is panicked."
Ball 4: Aarav walked back to his mark. He didn't look at Crawley. He looked at the base of the stumps. He decided to bring it back in. He ran in. The arm speed was lightning fast. 153.2 kmph. The ball pitched on off-stump. It didn't swing away. It jagged back in sharply off the seam—the nip-backer. Crawley was caught on the crease. He tried to flick, but he was late. His head fell over. The ball smashed into the front pad, just below the knee roll.
Aarav turned around. He didn't just appeal; he roared. "HOWZAAAAT!" Virat Kohli ran in from slip, screaming. Pant was jumping.
The Umpire, Aleem Dar, took a second. He nodded. Finger raised.
OUT!
Sanjay Manjrekar: "GONE! He's trapped him! Pace, movement, and precision! Zak Crawley is caught plumb in front! The nemesis strikes again!"
Crawley consulted Lees. He signaled for the DRS. It was a desperate review.
Third Umpire: "Checking for the front foot... Fair delivery. Front on vision... no bat involved. Ball tracking..."
The screen showed the red line. Pitching: In Line. Impact: In Line. Wickets: Hitting (Umpire's Call).
It was clipping the leg stump. The on-field decision stood.
Harsha Bhogle: "It stays OUT! It's clipping leg! The decision stands! Aarav Pathak gets his man for the fourth time in the series! Zak Crawley departs for 1. England are 1 for 1, and the slide begins!"
Zak Crawley lbw b Aarav 1 (8)Score: Eng 1/1
New Batsman:Ollie Pope.
Ball 5: Pope walked out to a cauldron. Aarav greeted him with a 148 kmph bouncer. Pope ducked. Dot.
Ball 6: Aarav went full, searching for the inswinger. Pope dug it out to mid-on. Dot.
End of Over 3.Score: Eng 1/1. Aarav Pathak Figures: 2-1-0-1.
Commentary Analysis
Nasser Hussain (Sighing): "It's too easy for him. He sets them up, he plays with their mind, and then he executes the skill. England is already under immense pressure. 471 runs behind. One wicket down. And Aarav Pathak has his tail up."
Sanjay Manjrekar: "Bias aside, Nasser, that was a perfect setup. He made Crawley doubt his off-stump, and then targeted the pads. It's classic fast bowling."
The Indian team huddled around Aarav. Kohli patted his back hard. "One down. Nine to go. Don't let them breathe."
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Over 4: The Bumrah Examination
Jasprit Bumrah continued from the Pavilion End. The early wicket of Crawley had energized the Indian slip cordon. Virat Kohli was clapping rhythmically, his voice echoing around the ground.
Alex Lees was on strike. He had watched his partner fall from the non-striker's end. Now, he had to face the unorthodox brilliance of Bumrah.
Ball 1-6: It was a masterclass in probing bowling. Bumrah angled the ball across the left-hander, testing his patience. Lees, to his credit, was disciplined. He played with soft hands, defending the straight ones and leaving the wide ones. A maiden over. The pressure was ratcheting up. The scoreboard was stuck.
Score: Eng 1/1.
Over 5:
Aarav Pathak marked his run-up for his third over. He already had Crawley in his pocket. Now, he wanted more. Ollie Pope, the new man, was on strike. Pope, often frenetic at the start of his innings, looked nervous.
Ball 1: Aarav steamed in. The arm speed was a blur. 152.1 kmph. The ball started on leg and swung late towards off—reverse swing this early? No, just natural drift and massive inswing. Pope thought about playing, then realized the pace and line. He withdrew his bat at the last second. The ball whistled over the stumps. A collective "Ooooh" from the slips.
Nasser Hussain: "That is express pace. Pope is lucky he didn't poke at that. It's moving at 90mph."
Ball 2: Aarav aimed for the pads. Pope was ready this time. He worked it nicely into the gap at mid-wicket. He sprinted a single to get off the mark. 1 Run.
Ball 3: Alex Lees on strike. He had faced 12 balls for zero runs. He needed to feel bat on ball. Aarav bowled full, searching for the inswinging yorker. It swung, but slightly too much. It drifted onto the pads. Lees planted his front foot and flicked it beautifully. The timing was crisp. The ball raced through square leg. FOUR.
Harsha Bhogle: "First boundary for England! Lees gets off the mark in style. A little too straight from Aarav, and Lees says 'Thank you very much'."
Ball 4: Aarav corrected his line immediately. He went outside off, shaping it away—the outswinger. Lees, emboldened by the previous boundary, went for the drive. He didn't hold back. He played a stunning cover drive on the up. The ball flew through the covers. FOUR.
Sanjay Manjrekar: "Two in a row! Alex Lees is fighting fire with fire! That was a risky shot against a ball moving away, but he nailed it. Suddenly, the crowd finds its voice!"
Ball 5: Aarav walked back to his mark. He didn't glare. He wiped the ball on his trousers. He saw Lees tapping the pitch, looking confident.
Aarav turned. He ran in harder than before. He put every ounce of strength into his shoulder. 154.2 kmph. The perfect yorker. It didn't swing in the air; it tailed in late off the pitch. Lees tried to bring his bat down. He was late. Painfully late. The ball went under the bat before the downswing was even halfway through. CRASH. The middle stump was split in two. The bails flew over the keeper's head.
Nasser Hussain (SCREAMING): "THROUGH HIM! ABSOLUTE SEED! Alex Lees hit two fours, he thought he was in, but Aarav Pathak has just destroyed his stumps! 154 clicks! That is unplayable! The furniture is rearranged!"
Harsha Bhogle: "The final laugh belongs to the bowler! You can hit him for four, you can hit him for another, but you cannot miss a ball at that speed! Aarav Pathak has knocked him over! England are 2 down!"
Alex Lees b Aarav 8 (15)Score: Eng 10/2
The stadium was shaking. The Barmy Army was silenced again. Out walked Joe Root. England's best batter. The man who held the team together. He looked at the broken stump being replaced by the ground staff. He looked at Aarav, who was high-fiving Kohli.
Ball 6: Root took guard. Aarav was pumped. He bowled a good length delivery on the fourth stump line. Root, calm as ever, defended it with a soft bottom hand. The ball died at his feet. Dot.
End of Over 5.Score: Eng 10/2. Aarav Pathak Figures: 3-1-9-2.
Sanjay Manjrekar: "That over summed up Test cricket. The batsman wins two battles, gets eight runs, feels good. The bowler wins one battle, and the war is over. Aarav Pathak is breathing fire. 154 kmph in his third over? That is frightening."
The Indians huddled. They had removed both openers inside 5 overs. Now, they had the big fish, Joe Root, in the middle against the new ball.
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The fall of two quick wickets inside five overs had stunned the home crowd. With Alex Lees and Zak Crawley back in the hutch, the onus fell on England's engine room: Joe Root and Ollie Pope.
Virat Kohli kept the pressure on. He kept Aarav Pathak and Jasprit Bumrah in the attack for a few more overs, hunting for the third. But Root and Pope were resolute. They didn't look to score; they looked to survive. The "Bazball" aggression was shelved for classic Test match defense.
Over 8: Aarav bowled a maiden to Root.
Over 9: Bumrah beat Pope's outside edge twice. Maiden.
Over 12: Root finally pushed a single to mid-on.
Score after 12 Overs: Eng 22/2. Run Rate: 1.83.
Michael Atherton: "It has gone quiet at Edgbaston. And that is exactly what India wants. They have silenced the crowd and forced England into a shell. Root knows he cannot afford to lose another wicket here."
Virat Kohli signaled for change in bowling. The opening bowlers had done their job—12 overs, 2 wickets, 22 runs. Now, it was time for fresh legs and fresh energy. Mohammed Shami replaced Bumrah. Mohammed Siraj replaced Aarav.
Ravi Shastri: "No respite for the batters. You survive Bumrah and Aarav, and now you have to face Shami's seam presentation and Siraj's scramble seam. This Indian attack is relentless."
Over 14: Mohammed Shami to Joe Root Shami hit the deck hard. He got the ball to move both ways off the seam. Root was watchful, leaving well on length. Maiden.
Over 15: Mohammed Siraj to Ollie Pope Siraj, energized and bustling, ran in. Ball 1: Full, angling in. Pope flicked to square leg. Dot.Ball 2: Back of a length. Pope defended. Ball 3: Siraj went wide of the crease. Angled it away. Pope left it.
Over 17: Mohammed Siraj to Ollie Pope
Sunil Gavaskar: "Siraj is getting the ball to wobble. Pope looks a bit tentative against that angle. He wants to feel the ball on the bat."
Ball 4: Siraj ran in. He bowled a length ball, just outside off-stump. It wasn't a half-volley, but it wasn't short enough to leave comfortably. Pope, feeling the pressure of the dot balls, tried to guide it through the gully region—a shot he plays often. He opened the face of the bat. But the bounce was steeper than he anticipated. The ball flew off the thick outer edge. It was traveling fast, to the right of the gully fielder.
Aarav Pathak was standing at a widish gully. He didn't have time to think. Instinct took over. He launched himself to his right. He was horizontal, parallel to the ground. He stretched his right hand out. Thwack. The ball stuck in the webbing of his fingers. He hit the turf hard, rolled over, and came up with the ball held high.
Ravi Shastri (SCREAMING): "WHAT A CATCH! AARAV PATHAK IS FLYING! One-handed blinder at gully! Siraj finds the edge, but that wicket belongs to the fielder! Ollie Pope cannot believe it! India are all over England like a rash!"
Michael Atherton: "Stunning agility. He bowled a spell of 154 kmph, and now he is diving around like a panther. That ball was traveling. Pope departs for 10. England 3 down for just 30-odd!"
Ollie Pope c Aarav b Siraj 10 (28)Score: Eng 34/3
Jonny Bairstow walked out. The man in the form of his life. But today, the situation demanded caution. He joined Joe Root. Kohli brought the field in. Three slips, a gully, a short leg. He sensed blood.
But Bairstow and Root shut the shop completely. They realized that the Indian pacers were in a rhythm where attacking was suicide.
Overs 20-28: The Stalemate
Kohli rotated his bowlers to keep them fresh. He brought on Shardul Thakur to bowl his "golden arm" deliveries and Ravindra Jadeja to rush through the overs and even Aarav to try to break this slow partnership, but nothing happened.
Over 22 (Shardul): Bairstow left all six balls. Over 25 (Jadeja): Root played forward defense to all six balls.
The crowd started to get restless. The Barmy Army tried to start a chant, but it died down. It was a war of attrition. Bairstow, usually so aggressive, was defending dead-bat. Root was immovable.
Score after 28 Overs: Eng 44/3. Last 10 Overs: 10 Runs.
Sunil Gavaskar: "This is fascinating Test cricket. This is a grind. Bairstow and Root have decided to just stay there. They are not looking at the scoreboard. They are just looking at the clock, waiting for the bowlers to tire."
Ravi Shastri: "But Kohli won't let the game drift. He has Shami and Bumrah resting. He will bring them back in bursts. This slow play plays into India's hands because the target is 472. Every maiden over makes that mountain look higher."
Over 30: Jadeja fired in a maiden to Root. Ball 6: Root padded away a delivery outside leg. The umpire called "Over".
Nasser Hussain: "Another maiden. That's 12 maidens in the innings so far. England is going nowhere, but they are still batting. It's a stalemate at Edgbaston."
As the players broke for drinks, Aarav walked up to Kohli. "Ball is getting soft, Virat bhai. Maybe try the short ball trap for Jonny?" Kohli nodded, wiping sweat. "After the break. Let Shami have a go first."
The battle was slow, gritty, and intense. England was digging a trench, hoping to survive the Indian siege.
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The players gathered for drinks. The sky over Birmingham had turned a bruised purple, threatening rain or just early darkness. The floodlights were battling the gloom, creating stark shadows on the pitch.
In the Indian huddle, Virat Kohli was animated. He was talking to Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah. Aarav Pathak leaned in, pointing to the rib cage area.
"Bairstow," Aarav said, his voice low but intense. "He's standing outside leg. He wants to free his arms. Cramp him. Short leg in. Bumper barrage mixed with the wide yorker."
Kohli nodded. "Jassi, you take the Pavilion end. Miyan (Siraj), you continue from the City end. Let's target Jonny. If we get him, the pressure is increased."
The plan was set. The target was Bairstow.
Over 31: Mohammed Siraj to Joe Root
The plan was for Bairstow, but cricket has a funny way of ignoring scripts. Joe Root was on strike. He had batted patiently for 31 runs, looking like the only thing standing between India and a massive lead.
Ball 1: Siraj ran in. He bowled a scramble-seam delivery, angling into the pads. Root tucked it to square leg. No run. Dot.
Ball 2: Siraj went wider. Root left it alone. Dot.
Ball 3: Siraj, perhaps frustrated by the lack of movement, decided to just hit the pitch hard. He bowled a cross-seam delivery on a good length, just outside the off-stump. It wasn't a magic ball. It was a consistency ball. Root, who had been leaving so well, had a momentary lapse in concentration. The ball bounced a fraction more than he expected. He tried to play a late dab to third man—a shot he plays in his sleep. But the extra bounce cramped him. He couldn't get on top of the bounce. The ball kissed the feather edge of the bat. It flew quickly to Rishabh Pant. Pant didn't have to dive. He just cupped his gloves and swallowed it.
Sunil Gavaskar: "HELLO! What have we got here? A lapse in concentration from the master! Joe Root is gone! Siraj wasn't even trying for that; he was just hitting the deck! A nothing shot, really. Just a dab, and he nicks it behind. India gets the prize wicket!"
Nasser Hussain: "Oh, Joe. He will be kicking himself. He did all the hard work. He survived Bumrah, he survived Aarav. And now he feathers one to the keeper. That is a massive, massive blow for England. The backbone is broken."
Joe Root c Pant b Siraj 31 (67)Score: Eng 62/4
The crowd groaned. 62 for 4. England was still trailing by 410 runs. The light was fading fast. The umpires, Aleem Dar and Richard Kettleborough, were checking their light meters constantly.
Ben Stokes, sitting in the dressing room with his pads on, looked at the sky. He looked at the situation and from his experience it was going to rain or no light. He made a call. "Send Jack out."
Jack Leach, the spinner, walked out as the nightwatchman. He looked small, bespectacled, and very determined to just block.
Sanjay Manjrekar: "Interesting move. Stokes holds himself back. Jack Leach comes out to survive maybe 20 minutes. But with Bumrah and Siraj bowling with their tails up, 'survival' is a very strong word."
Over 33: Mohammed Siraj to Jonny Bairstow
Jonny Bairstow watched Root walk back. He saw Leach walking in. He saw the dark clouds. And something snapped. The "Bazball" instinct, which had been dormant for 48 balls, woke up. He decided he wasn't going to let Siraj bully the nightwatchman. He was going to dominate.
Ball 1: Siraj steamed in, pumped up after the wicket. He bowled full, looking for the inswinger. Bairstow planted his front foot. He didn't defend. He drove. A thunderous straight drive. It beat mid-off before he could even move. FOUR.
Ravi Shastri: "Shot! That's a statement! 'Don't worry about the wicket, I am here.' Jonny Bairstow announces himself!"
Ball 2: Siraj shortened the length. Bairstow was waiting. He swiveled and pulled it in front of square. It raced to the mid-wicket boundary. FOUR.
Ball 3: Siraj, rattled, went for a bouncer. Bairstow hooked. He didn't roll his wrists; he hit it flat. It flew over fine leg. One bounce into the fence. FOUR.
Nasser Hussain: "Three in a row! He has gone berserk! He sees the light fading, he sees the pressure, and he decides to punch his way out of it! This is counter-attacking cricket at its finest!"
Ball 4: Siraj tried a yorker. He missed. A low full toss. Bairstow didn't just hit it; he launched it. He cleared his front leg and slogged it over long-on. The ball sailed into the stands. SIX!
Sunil Gavaskar: "My goodness! 18 runs off the first four balls! Siraj doesn't know where to look! Bairstow has decided that if the ship is going down, he is going down firing all guns!"
Ball 5: Siraj finally bowled a good length ball outside off. Bairstow left it alone, a smirk on his face. Dot.
Ball 6: Bairstow blocked the last ball. He shielded Leach from Siraj for the rest of the over, but now Leach would have to face Jasprit Bumrah in the next over.
Score: Eng 80/4. Runs from Over: 18.
Over 33: Jasprit Bumrah to Jack Leach
The light was getting terrible. The floodlights were the only thing illuminating the pitch. The red ball was hard to pick up. He knew he had maybe one over before the umpires called it.
Ball 1: Bumrah ran in. Short run-up? No, full steam. He angled it across the left-hander. Leach poked and missed. Dot.
Ball 2: Bumrah bowled a yorker. Leach dug it out. Dot.
Ball 3: Bumrah went round the wicket. He aimed for the top of off stump. Leach defended with soft hands. The ball dropped at his feet. Dot.
Ball 4: Bumrah walked back. He looked at the sky. It was dark. He ran in. He bowled the off-cutter. It gripped the surface. It jagged back into the left-hander. Leach, expecting the angle across, shouldered arms. He thought it was going wide. A fatal error in judgment against Bumrah. The ball nipped back sharply. It crashed into the off-stump. The bail flew towards slip.
Ravi Shastri (Booming): "BOWLED HIM! A misjudgment from the nightwatchman! Jack Leach shoulders arms to Jasprit Bumrah, and his off-stump goes for a walk! India strikes again! The nightwatchman experiment fails spectacularly!"
Sanjay Manjrekar: "You cannot leave the ball on length against Bumrah! He brings it back! That is a schoolboy error, but induced by high-class bowling. England are 5 down!"
Jack Leach b Bumrah 1 (4)Score: Eng 80/5
As the Indian team celebrated, the umpires, Aleem Dar and Richard Kettleborough, converged. They looked at their light meters. The reading was well below the threshold and rain had started with few droplets.
Aleem Dar waved his hand. "That's it! Stumps!"
He signaled to the players. The bails were removed. Ben Stokes, who was walking down the stairs to bat, stopped. He turned around and walked back into the dressing room.
Nasser Hussain: "And that is Stumps on Day 2! Drama right until the very last second. Bumrah takes the wicket, and the umpires immediately call it off due to bad light. England is in tatters. 80 for 5. They trail by 392 runs. It is a long, long way back from here."
Sunil Gavaskar: "India has dominated every session. They scored 472, and now they have half the English side back in the hut before the score reaches 100. Aarav Pathak started it, Siraj continued it, and Bumrah finished it. This is a clinic."
Scorecard Summary (Day 2 Stumps)
India 1st Innings: 472 All Out
England 1st Innings: 80/5 (33 Overs)
Aarav Pathak walked off the field next to Bumrah. "Perfect timing, Jassi bhai," Aarav laughed, pointing to the dark sky. "You knocked him over just before the lights went out."
Bumrah grinned. "I told the umpire, 'One more ball, I'll get him.' And I did."
Kohli ran up to them, high-fiving everyone. "Brilliant day, boys! Massive day! We have them by the throat. Tomorrow morning, we finish the tail."
The Indian team walked into the dressing room, the cheers of the Bharat Army echoing in the twilight. England was reeling. The Pataudi Trophy was inching closer to India.
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