India vs England 2016: 2nd Test Day 2 - 5 Talking points

India retained the advantage from Day 1 as the Vizag pitch showed its true nature, taking massive turn and bounce, but nonetheless remaining a good cricket pitch. Some lower order cameos and exceptional bowling have seen England fighting to avoid the follow-on, after being reduced to 103/5 in reply to India’s 455.

The visitors had shown themselves as worthy players against spin despite their recent debacle in Bangladesh. But all of their issues with spin bowling came to the forefront here in Vizag as Jadeja, Ashwin and debutant Yadav bowled exceptionally well.

None of the England batsmen, save Joe Root, who made a fighting half-century, seemed to get a grip on the surface or find a way to bat themselves out of the hole they were in. Stokes and Bairstow, though, remained unbeaten as England ended the day worryingly short of India’s first innings score.

Here are the talking points from Day 2.

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#5 DRS at the forefront

DRS continues to make headlines(Image credits: BCCI)

DRS continues to make headlines in this series as thrice on Day 2, the technology became a serious discussion. First, Saha was given leg before wicket off Moeen Ali by Dharmasena who took an eternity to raise his finger. Saha was, in fact, at Dharmasena’s end after running between the wickets when Dharmasena raised his finger for the LBW shout.

Saha reviewed but found that the Sri Lankan umpire was spot on this time and had to make the long walk back to the pavilion.

The second instance came two balls later when Jadeja was adjudged LBW by Dharmasena off Ali yet again. While replays suggested that the ball was missing the stumps, Jadeja failed to review after consulting with then non-striker, Ashwin.

In the closing stages of the day, Kohli decided to review a Jadeja delivery that seemed to have found Stokes’ edge. But Kohli was in such a hurry to review that he failed to consult with Saha, the keeper, who did not seem too keen about the review. The DRS showed no spike on Stokes’ bat and India lost a review.

#4 Jayant Yadav’s first day on the field

Jayant contributed some handy lower order runs(Image credits: BCCI)

While there was much criticism levied at India for choosing to hand a debut to Jayant Yadav over Mishra, who had a poor Test at Rajkot, Yadav proved his doubters wrong right through the day. He walked to the crease at the fall of Jadeja’s wicket and gave Ashwin good company while notching up some valuable runs himself.

Jayant then affected a superb run out to send back Haseeb Hameed, who had been a revelation in the first Test, with a smart bit of fielding. He chased a Root flick from square leg and retrieved the ball in a jiffy to help Saha effect a run out on the second run.

He was equally up to the task when given the ball, trapping Moeen Ali in front of the wicket and convincing Kohli to go for a review, which ultimately resulted in a huge wicket. He was tight right through the day, giving away just 11 runs in his seven overs.

#3 India’s lower order batting

Ashwin compiled another half century(Image credits: BCCI)

India once again showed their lower order strength after Kohli was dismissed pretty early on Day 2 for 167. Ashwin, who looks far from a lower order batsman, had new company in the form of debutant Jayant Yadav. The duo put on a 64 run stand after India had lost two wickets in an over to Moeen Ali.

While Ashwin continued his fairytale run with the willow, compiling his 8^th Test half-century, Yadav impressed with his resilience and technique, proving that Indian tail enders are much better than they once used to be.

Even after Ashwin was dismissed, Jayant continued to pile on the misery for England, making an 84 ball 35 in the company of Umesh Yadav. England will be hoping their tail takes a cue from India and put on an equally resilient show, especially considering the position they are in right now.

#2 Indian spinners show the way

The Indian spinners tied the England batsmen in knots(Image credits: BCCI)

If most of Day 1 headlines was about how England spinners failed to extract purchase from the wicket, today was all about Ashwin, Jadeja and Jayant Yadav. Ashwin was at his best, confusing batsmen with his flight, dip and turn. He rarely went off the radar and returned to bowling with his normal action, after an unnecessary tryst with a side on action in Rajkot.

Jadeja and Yadav complimented Ashwin well, bowling tight lines and letting the pressure build. The England spinners were way off the mark, managing just 4 maidens between them and allowing easy runs with loose balls. The Indian spinners, however, showed how to bowl on such a wicket and all three returned with impressive figures at the end of Day 2.

The trio have 11 maidens between them already, having bowled less than half of what the England spinners had done. While Ashwin was the pick of the spinners, with two wickets and 15 runs off 12 tight overs, Jayant and Jadeja also went for less than 3 an over.

#1 India’s seamers

Shami led from the front(Image credits: BCCI)

There was a time India used to open the bowling with a medium pacer like Sourav Ganguly. However, that time and age are long past them as they have recently unearthed some exceptional seamers capable of bowling at high pace. Two of them, Shami and Umesh Yadav, let the new ball rip, consistently bowling over the 140kmph mark.

Shami had Alastair Cook, the England skipper, beaten between bat and pad with a perfect ball that jagged back in off the surface. He continued to impress with his pace and lines while Umesh Yadav, who seemed to have gotten carried away by his pace in recent times, has returned to bowl probing lines while keeping the pace gun ticking.

The Indian spinners might steal the headlines of Day 2, but there is no doubting that Shami and Umesh contributed to England’s situation within the first 10 overs, that yielded just 25 runs. England also lost their skipper to a peach of a delivery, that even broke the off-stump into two.