Five Talking Points From An Enthralling Day 2

Stokes's Gutsy Spell

England v India: Specsavers 1st Test - Day Two

Stokes returned honors in the post-lunch session and lifted England through a spirited spell of fiery fast-bowling. With the nearly 30-over old Duke ball reversing a bit, Root decided to bring on Stokes to have a go at the Indian middle order. From the commencement of his spell, the Englishman kept troubling Ajinkya Rahane with his late, lateral movement both off the pitch and in the air. It was only a matter of time before Rahane played an ugly stab and handed the simplest of catches into the slips cordon. Stokes got a sniff and his pace incremented significantly. An over later, he routed out Dinesh Karthik's middle-stump: this time a scuttling in-swinger that found a way through bat and pad and rattled the woodwork: a wondrous sight for any fast-bowler. Stokes beautifully worked over Pandya, too, and induced a mistake only for Alaistair Cook to drop a dolly at first slip and leave Stokes fuming in despair. It was a vehement effort, nevertheless, that rejuvenated England's chances in this game.

England v India: Specsavers 1st Test - Day Two