England vs India, First Test, Day 2: 5 Talking Points

A masterful 149 from Indian skipper Virat Kohli headlined Day 2 of the opening Test between India and England at Edgbaston.

With the rest of the line-up falling around him, the right-hander kept his end going to score his maiden hundred on English soil and erase the woeful memories of 2014, which saw him make a mere 134 runs over five Test matches and 10 innings.

Kohli stitched together crucial stands with Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma and his innings took India 13 runs close to England's total of 287 and in the dying moments of the day, Ravichandran Ashwin removed Alastair Cook for the second time in the game almost in identical fashion to his dismissal in the first innings to leave the hosts at 9 for 1 at the end of the second day of this Test match.

Here are the talking points from the day:

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#1 Shikhar Dhawan flatters to deceive again

Dhawan got to 26 and then fell to Sam Curran

India picked Shikhar Dhawan for this Test match, backing him to deliver at the top of the order, but the left-hander once again flattered to deceive, falling for 26 in the first innings.

The performance once again brings to light his ability to deliver in conditions away from the sub-continent and with conditions likely to get worse in the latter half of the game, it remains to be seen if he can come good and get a big enough score in the second innings of this game.

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#2 Ben Stokes shines with the ball

Stokes was excellent with the ball on Thursday

Ben Stokes is the kind of cricketer which every team needs. A batsman who can change the course of the innings with the bat and a bowler who can bowl at a good speed and pick up wickets for the side.

On Thursday, the bowler in Stokes was in full view as he ran in, hurried the Indians with his speed and claimed two key wickets of Ajinkya Rahane and Dinesh Karthik to leave the visitors reeling at 100 for 5.

With his availability doubtful for the second Test, England will have some thinking to do as to who will fill his void if he does miss the game and how they would cope with his loss.

#3 Malan's drop that turned things around

What a costly drop!

On the talking points feature for the opening day of the Test, there was a point elaborating India's slip catching woes and how they needed to improve and get better.

Well, if you had to understand why it is so important to hold onto chances, you just have to look at Dawid Malan's drop on Thursday with Virat Kohli unbeaten on 21.

The drop proved to be very, very costly as the skipper went on to make 149 and take India within touching distance of England's 1st innings score of 287.

#4 Sam Curran- England's new hero with the ball

Sam Curran who ran through the top and the middle-order

Prior to the series, there was so much talk about James Anderson and Stuart Broad holding the key for England and how India had to find a way to counter them, in order to do well.

But on Thursday, India was caught napping by neither of them, but by left-arm seamer Sam Curran who ran through the top and the middle-order to finish with figures of 4 for 74 in his 17 overs.

India now know that there is a third pacer, apart from Broad and Anderson, they need to be wary about Curran for the rest of the series.

#5 King Kohli rises even as others fall

THE BEST. FULL STOP

There's a debate going around in international cricket right now on who amongst Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Joe Root and Steve Smith lead the list as far as the best batsman in the world is concerned.

With that innings today, few would disagree if told that Kohli stands a bit above each of the other mentioned names. There was so much talk before the series on whether Kohli would erase the memories of 2014, whether the England bowlers would have his number again, etc.

He has silenced all of them, in one innings. An innings of the highest quality. An innings that helped India get within touching distance to England's total. An innings, which hopefully is only the start of a fantastic harvest of runs for him, this summer.