India did really well on Day 2 of their first Test match against England in Hyderabad. They ended the day with a lead of 175 runs. After England scored 246 runs in their first innings, India reached 421/7 by the end of the day’s play. Ravindra Jadeja (81) and Axar Patel (35) were not out at stumps.
England went with four spinners, including Joe Root, and one seamer, Mark Wood. Jack Leach made a comeback. But it didn’t work out for Ben Stokes and his team. Eight Indian batters got off to good starts, three scored in the 80s, and one remained unbeaten. They also had five half-century partnerships.
Although England had three frontline spinners, Joe Root was the most effective. He dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal and KS Bharat. Former captain Nasser Hussain criticized England for not including James Anderson. He believed Anderson’s skills in the sub-continent would have helped England control the game better.
Hussain said, “I would have played Anderson. The balance of the side was a bit surprising. We had four spinners, including Root, and only one seamer.” He praised Anderson, calling him England’s greatest-ever bowler.
Jaiswal (80), KL Rahul (86), and Jadeja troubled England’s bowlers the most. Many Indian batters lost their wickets trying to hit big shots. Leach was the most economical bowler for England, taking one wicket in his 25 overs, dismissing India’s captain, Rohit Sharma (24).
