With overcast skies looming, England captain Ben Stokes had little hesitation in electing to bowl first, banking on the assistance the conditions were expected to offer. The pitch did not produce extravagant swing, but there was appreciable seam movement, especially in the first hour
Yashasvi Jaiswal (Pic: AFP)
Yashasvi Jaiswal continued to exhibit his trademark aggression even as England’s pacers relentlessly probed his technique, while Karun Nair showcased glimpses of his potential at number three before falling late in the session. By lunch on day one of the second Test at Edgbaston on Wednesday, India had reached a steady 98 for two, navigating challenging conditions after being put into bat.
With overcast skies looming, England captain Ben Stokes had little hesitation in electing to bowl first, banking on the assistance the conditions were expected to offer. The pitch did not produce extravagant swing, but there was appreciable seam movement, especially in the first hour. India, however, weathered the early storm with commendable composure.
The opening session began on a somber note for the visitors. KL Rahul, who had played a gritty innings in the second Test at Leeds, was undone for just 2 runs off 26 deliveries. Chris Woakes, maintaining a probing line outside off, induced an error as Rahul chopped the ball back onto his stumps, handing England an early breakthrough.
Despite the setback, Jaiswal and Nair counter-attacked with authority, stitching together an 80-run stand for the second wicket that stabilized India’s innings. Jaiswal was characteristically positive, unfurling a series of sumptuous strokes. He began his innings by driving Brydon Carse confidently through the covers and later capitalised on fuller deliveries, mixing in authoritative pulls and an audacious slap over backward point off Stokes.
Carse, to his credit, sought to unsettle Jaiswal by peppering him with deliveries aimed at his rib cage. However, the young southpaw remained largely untroubled, adeptly negotiating the short stuff while continuing to accumulate runs.
At the other end, Nair, promoted three places up the order from his previous outing, looked determined to seize the opportunity. He was offered a generous supply of full deliveries by the England seamers, which he gleefully dispatched through the cover and straight boundaries, exuding confidence during his stay. Unfortunately for India, just minutes before the lunch interval, Carse managed to extract extra bounce, drawing an outside edge from Nair’s bat that was neatly pouched by Harry Brook at second slip.
Notably, the boundary ropes had been brought in considerably for this match, an observation that did not escape the attention of many at Edgbaston.
In terms of team composition, India made a handful of intriguing changes. With pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah rested, Akash Deep was handed a Test debut. Additionally, Sai Sudharsan made way for Washington Sundar, while Nitish Kumar Reddy replaced Shardul Thakur. The decision to bolster the batting lineup by selecting Sundar as a second spinner, at the expense of wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, was particularly debatable given India’s struggles to claim 20 wickets in Leeds.
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