IND vs ENG, 2nd Test: India shun Bazball hype, hammer England by 106 runs in Vizag to level series 1-1

India were in an unfamiliar territory at home, spooked by England’s Bazball after a shocking Hyderabad loss.

Ben Stokes-led England had an opportunity to win 2 in 2 and march towards ending India’s proud record of having been unbeaten in a Test series at home since 2012. But Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jasprit Bumrah, Shubman Gill, R Ashwin, and Axar Patel had different plans as the young Indian side rallied back to shut the Bazball noise and prove that chasing 399 in the fourth innings needed more than just a fearless approach.

INDIA vs ENGLAND, Vizag Test: HIGHLIGHTS
While 22-year-old Jaiswal showed his grit and maturity with his maiden Test double hundred, Bumrah produced a fast-bowling masterclass in the 1st innings, Gill broke India’s seven-year drought for a first Test hundred at No.3 and Ashwin took out England’s top-order in the second innings to help the hosts secure a 106-run win in Visakhapatnam. India entered the second Test missing several key players, after a shock loss a week ago in Hyderabad, but summoned the performance required to drag England’s Bazballers back.

BUMRAH-ASHWIN HEROICS ON DAY 4
Sessions do not define a Test match, but the intensity of the first session foreshadowed the direction of the match, with India making significant progress by taking five English wickets. Ben Stokes and Ben Foakes looked to soak the pressure in the post-lunch session before Shreyas Iyer’s fielding masterclass ended the England captain’s vigil on the pitch. Stokes failed to make his ground, falling just inches short of his crease as the bails were dislodged.

Foakes then joined hands with young Tom Hartley to frustrate the Indian spinners with a solid 55-run stand for the eighth wicket in the second session. It took clutch player Jasprit Bumrah’s guile to give India the breakthrough as Foakes was outsmarted on a slower delivery. Pacer Mukesh Kumar had a torrid Test till he bowled a fine delivery to remove Shoaib Bashir and take his first wicket of the series. Ashwin, who had picked his 499th wicket a session ago, was given another chance to reach the magical figure of 500 but it was again Bumrah, who cleaned up Tom Hartley, thus bowling England out for 292 for the win.

Earlier, India snapped five crucial wickets in the morning session of day four, dimming England’s hopes of victory in the second Test and inching closer to levelling the series. England, striving to chase down a formidable 399, had a promising start at 95 for 1 before their middle order crumbled to leave England 194 for six before lunch.

It was India’s session as Axar Patel made an early breakthrough by dismissing Rehan Ahmed after the English nightwatchman scored 23. Captain Rohit Sharma then turned to experienced Ravichandran Ashwin, who repaid his skipper’s trust by adding to England’s woes by removing Ollie Pope and Joe Root in quick succession. Pope managed 23 runs before edging Ashwin to Rohit Sharma at slip, while Root, despite a finger injury, looked to attack before gifting an easy catch to Axar Patel at backward point.

Zak Crawley, displaying his trademark aggression, played a valuable 73-run knock but fell victim to a successful review by India after initially being adjudged not out for an LBW appeal by Kuldeep Yadav. Bairstow, too, looked promising before succumbing to the lbw decision despite his attempt at a review, further denting England’s chances.