India’s commanding total and Jasprit Bumrah’s sharp opening spell set the tone early, but England fought back steadily on Day 2 of the Headingley Test to keep the contest balanced. At tea, England stood at 107-1, trailing by 364 runs, with Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope holding the line after an early blow.
Bumrah’s Early Breakthrough
Jasprit Bumrah struck in the very first over of England’s innings, removing Zak Crawley with a brilliant delivery that seamed away and found the edge. Karun Nair snapped up the chance at slip. Bumrah’s figures of 1-21 in five overs reflected his threat under gloomy skies.
England’s Steady Recovery
Despite the early setback, Duckett and Pope built a solid stand. Duckett, dropped on 15, reached his fifty with a confident sweep off Ravindra Jadeja. Pope remained steady, riding his luck when an lbw appeal from Mohammed Siraj was upheld on umpire’s call.
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India’s Strong Start with the Bat
India began the day at 359-3. Shubman Gill, leading the team for the first time in Tests, extended his score to 147 before falling to Shoaib Bashir. His fluent innings featured 19 fours and one six. He shared a 209-run stand with Rishabh Pant, who powered his way to 134 off 146 balls.
Pant’s Explosive Hundred
Rishabh Pant reached his century in style, launching Bashir over midwicket for six. His celebration—a signature somersault—reflected the energy of his innings. He smashed 10 fours and four sixes before falling lbw to Josh Tongue.
Collapse After Lunch
After reaching 430-4, India suffered a dramatic collapse. The last seven wickets fell for just 41 runs in 12 overs. Ben Stokes led England’s response with 4-66, while Tongue finished with 4-86.
Match Intricately Poised
With Duckett and Pope showing resolve and India managing a sizeable first-innings total, the Headingley Test remains delicately balanced heading into the final sessions.
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