Ind vs Eng 4th Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett deliver dominating knocks on Day 2

Driven off Old Trafford on Day One of the first Test after under-edging a reverse sweep onto his right foot, the left-hander came out to bat an hour and a half into play on the second morning, at the fall of Shardul Thakur’s wicket. Hobbling and limping but refusing to throw in the towel, Pant converted his overnight 37 into a memorable half-century, the third of the innings as India finished on 358, which appeared a reasonable total on a two-paced track of variable bounce.

Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley then tore into the Indian fast bowlers, guilty of bowling too straight and being picked off for a series of leg-side boundaries, first by the left-handed Duckett and then with increasing authority by his right-handed partner, who came into this Test with a cloud hanging over his head. Apart from his second-innings half-century in Leeds, the tall Crawley had done little of note, but once India allowed him to get off to a start, the trademark cover-drives started to flow at the same venue where he brought up his last World Test Championship century, 189 against Australia more than two years back. 

By the 21st over, the openers had reached their respective half-centuries and put on a hundred stand, dotted by 17 fours, illustrating how ordinary India’s bowling had been. Jasprit Bumrah, for once, wasn’t a threat while debutant Anshul Kamboj was disappointing, his heavy ball nowhere in evidence. Mohammed Siraj, brought on as first-change with Kamboj given the new ball, and Shardul Thakur too hardly troubled England’s long-and-short opening combine as the runs flowed at more than 5.5 runs per over. At the time of going to press, England were 154-0.

Stokes, Archer on fire

That hadn’t been the case in the morning when play began under heavily overcast skies with Ravindra Jadeja and Thakur looking to build on India’s 264 for four. Ben Stokes took the new ball straightaway and Jofra Archer extending his mastery over left-handers, nicking Jadeja off in the second over. Thakur and Washington held England up for more than an over when Stokes grabbed the ball and turned the innings on its head.

Fast becoming the marathon man, the England captain picked up three for 25 in nine unchanged overs on his way to a fifth Test five-for. The slide began when Thakur played an expansive drive to be well-caught to his left at gully by Duckett, which brought the heroic Pant to the middle.

Runs came to a standstill with a single not taken unless there were two on offer, but Pant did smack one monster six off an Archer slower ball to thrill a large crowd in awe of his bravery. His half-century was greeted with rapturous applause before Archer sent his off-stump for a walk, though the biggest ovation was reserved for Stokes when he led his side off the field.