India 336 for 6 (Jaiswal 179*, Bashir 2-100, Ahmed 2-61) vs England
It’s said that you can only assess a pitch once both teams have played on it, and England’s incredible performance in Hyderabad seems to support this idea. With Yashasvi Jaiswal’s extraordinary century, India seems poised to make up for their previous struggles in the first Test. Jaiswal played superbly and with confidence, serving as an example of what his team needed to succeed in this series.
However, England did not falter on a difficult day in the field, taking six wickets and preventing a potential batting collapse. Shoaib Bashir, in his first day of Test cricket, claimed two wickets and showed he has the attributes to succeed at this level. As a result, England finds themselves in a similar position to where they were after the first day of the opening Test, a match that did not end well for either side.
Throughout the day, Jaiswal’s remarkable unbeaten 179 off 257 balls stood out. His innings was a demonstration of the confidence and fearlessness that India desperately needed to face England’s challenge. Despite struggling with cramps in the final minutes of the day, Jaiswal surpassed his previous best score and ended the day with over 90% control percentage, leaving him hungry for more on day two.
On the other hand, India’s batting performance was inconsistent, allowing England’s reshaped attack to take comfort in the batting struggles. With six players dismissed between 14 and 34, India’s batting woes from the previous Test seemed to be persisting. However, Jaiswal’s performance was the exception.
England’s lop-sided attack displayed courage, with their decision to play three specialist spinners and a lone fast bowler paying off. Veteran James Anderson, aged 41, showed his experience with a skillful display and achieved his 691st wicket by dismissing Shubman Gill. His influence was felt throughout his 17 overs in three separate spells.
