W
0
1
6
6
6
= 19
Match Details
ENG vs IND 2nd TEST, ENG vs IND 2021
IND 134(59.5)
164-1054.2
India won by 317 runs 🏆
329(95.5)
ENG
85.5286-10
Commentary
All
Highlights
Overs
W
6s
4s
Inn 1
Inn 2
Inn 3
Inn 4
Milestone
So that's all from the commentary box folks. Like always it was a pleasure bringing all the live updates and commentary for you all through the 2nd Test. This is me , Arya Sekhar Chakraborty signing off on the behalf of my fellow commentators Nikhil Kulkarni and Kingshuk Kusari. Until the start of the 3rd Test, it's tata from here. Have a great weekend and beyond
Joe Root again speaking for Channel 4-Probably on day one if I have to be brutally honest (where did England lose this Test?) Credit has to go to India and it's a bit of an education and learning process for the group as well. We will have a different challenge with the pink ball in a new stadium. We have learnt quickly [in recent times] and we have to do that again. We have to have honest conversations and that's what it comes down to and be true to yourself (how can you learn quickly?) It's about how I can defend and bat for long periods of time on a wicket like that. It's also about learning from the opposition - how they managed spitting deliveries and big-turning balls. I thought he (Foakes) had an excellent game with the bat in the first innings and didn't let the situation of the game faze him. He's a fantastic bloke and we know how good he's with the gloves.You can talk about how quickly it [the pitch] can deteriorate - it deteriorated faster - but the fact of the matter is that they [India] managed it better than us. It's very important that we don't dwell too much on this and look forward. This experience will hold us in good stead and we take it into the rest of the series. I can't think any other off the top of the head - it was challenging out there [most challenging pitch you've played on?) You try to learn from that and it [conditions] could be different at Ahmedabad. I think Moeen has been bowling very well, getting better at practice, and throughout the game he got better and better. He looked somewhere near his best towards the end of the game. I thought Olly was excellent and looked threatening with the limited opportunities he was given to bowl. Really, really pleasing to see him and make an impact. Obviously, Jimmy was discussed [for selection], but you have to look at the whole series and manage the players as best as you can. You have to make sure they don't get burned out and it's tricky and we're trying to manage it. And we replaced Jimmy with Broad, the No.2 bowler in the world. Stokes not bowling much was purely tactical - he's fit and I'm sure he will have an impact at some point in the series like he did in the first game. I think so you can expect some changes for Ahmedabad - look at the surface and conditions and utilise this break.
(Credits: ESPN Cricinfo)
Ravichandran Ashwin, Man of the Match-:Look actually, this wicket is very different to the first game. Those balls which were doing much didn't get wickets, it was the mind doing things. It takes a certain amount of pace and guile to do it on this wicket - I've been playing for years here. I think keeping the intent was very, very important. I was having a chat with Rohit and the batting coach (Vikram Rathour) about the options to put pressure on the bowler than waiting for the loose balls. First couple of sweeps I connected, I got a hang of the wicket. I'm someone who tries hard, and when it doesn't go my way, I try harder. It's not just Vikram alone, it was more about hands and getting through the ball, think tactically and not technically. Anjinkya (Rahane) told me I was overthinking and that innings at Sydney set the tone for me. I'm so happy that it happened in Chennai that I got a hundred and five-for. Look, I think every sort of load-up gives a different result in terms of the pitch and conditions. All these things are working beautifully because of my awareness. The joy is coming out and hence the bowling is coming the way it is.
Ashwin speaks in Tamil and the cheers swell to a crescendo at Chepauk. Ashwin pauses for a moment and soaks everything in. "I've watched a lot of cricket in these stands, my father brings me here," he recalls. "I've played four Tests here and this is the most special one. I got a hero's welcome. In Covid-19 times, a of lot of people came without any fear and even though some didn't wear masks, they cheered for us. Every time I came out to bat or bowl, the cheers were great - vera [different] feeling." (ESPN Cricinfo)
Virat Kohli, Indian skipper: Look, it was a bit strange in the first game to play at home without crowds in the stands. Things were flat, to be honest, and myself included. [we needed] to pick up the energy. We were on the money this game and the crowd makes a massive difference and you push more as a team. This game is an example of the grit and determination we've shown as a side. The Chennai crowd everyone knows is very, very intelligent and they understand their cricket really well. For the 15-20 mins, when the bowler needs support from the crowd, it's my responsibility [to egg the crowd on]. When I'm bowling in the heat, you need motivation from the crowd. The conditions were challenging for both sides, but we showed more application, determination and grit to battle it out. I don't think the toss would've mattered much in this pitch, and we believed we could score runs in the second innings and got almost 300. Look, Pant has really worked hard in Australia and the difference when he moves with the gloves you can see in his reflexes and reactions. He has shed a lot of weight in Australia and it shows and we want him to get stronger and stronger with his skill sets because we know how much value he adds to the team. It's a special, special moment for Axar. He'd have played the first game too if not for a niggle. He bowls fast and is all smiles, and hopefully he builds it here from here on. I've taken a lot of pride in correcting mistakes quickly, which I haven't done in the past because I'm rigid. But, I want to correct those quickly now. Ashwin batted outstandingly well and in the second half I decided not to go after runs and I'm going to trust my defense to get me out of trouble. Yeah, pink-ball cricket is going to be a challenge and we expect no easy cricket from England. The energy and enthusiasm from the crowd is really important for us.
Joe Root, England skipper: I think credit has to go to India, they outplayed us in all departments. We have to learn from this and find ways to score in these conditions and bowl six balls to one better. On day one, we could have been tighter and made it harder for them to score freely as they did. We're 1-1 in the series and there are two important games in the series. We played very well in the first Test, so we're in the series. India went in with two seamers as well, it's always easy to see in the flipside of things. The wicket was dramatically different to the first Test match. I think Moeen got better with the ball as the game went on and we all know how destructive he can be. Foakes - his keeping was world-class. We have to stay level and understand we have played good cricket in the recent past. We have to learn quickly and that's something we've done in the recent past. The pink-ball Test will be different - one in Australia with Kookaburra and one in England with Dukes - and we're very much looking forward to that. Both teams should be in the game from the first session onwards, whether it is on spinning to seaming tracks, and that exactly was the case in this game.Rishabh Pant has really worked hard in Australia, when he moves with the gloves you can see the difference in his reactions. He has shed a lot of weight and has worked hard on himself. It is showing, the way he kept with so much turn and bounce, credit to him. We want him to keep improving as a keeper because we know the valiue he brings to the team. It is a very, very special moment for Axar. He would've played the first game as well if he didn't have that niggle. He was keen to step on, and if you get that kind of pitch, he was all smiles and couldn't wait to get the ball in his hands. Hope he builds on from here, he has an important couple of games ahead. I take a lot of pride in improving myself and correcting my mistakes quickly. If I make an error, I make sure I iron it out in the next innings. Ashwin batted outstandingly well and that partnership between us was very crucial. I knew I coud trust my defence and easily bat four sessions on this pitch. Ahmedabad is going to be challenging. This England side has quality players and we need to be on our 'A' game throughout.
Axar Patel: "A very good experience. It feels so good to pick up five wickets on debut. There was a lot of help for the spinners, so it was important to bowl at the right speed, because if you were too slow, there was time to adjust. So I was bowling stump-to-stump, and waiting for errors from the batsmen. Even if we had bowled first, I don't think it would have made a big difference because there was a lot of help from the pitch even on the first day."
Kuldeep Yadav: "It's very important when your team is doing well, to keep giving them support. Axar and Ashwin were bowling very well, so my job was to maintain that control. It felt like a debut for me, because I've not played for so long. Bowling in a match is very different, no matter how much you bowl at the nets. I always speak to Ash bhai a lot, even during the Australia tour. He was telling me a lot about where to bowl to which batsmen, what shots they like to play. We've been in this situation before [losing the first Test of a series]. Even in my debut series we had lost the first Test against Australia in Pune. Then we lost in Adelaide as well, and you saw the morale of the team even after that defeat. We are always prepared to come back and perform in the next match. Even Rishabh's keeping was brilliant today. Everyone contributed."
Arya: The day began with Ravichandran Ashwin bamboozling Dan Lawrence. He kept charging down the track and feel prey to an ideal plan from Pant and Ashwin. From there on it was always going to be an uphill task for Root and Stokes. The latter was dismissed by Ashwin for the 10th time in his Test career. Wickets kept tumbling one after the other as Ollie Pope and Ben Foakes fell prey to Axar and Kuldeep while attempting sweep shots. Axar bagged a fifer after dismissing Root and after a few lusty blows by Moeen Ali he was defeated in the flight by Kuldeep Yadav and it was the end of the match.
Arya: It was a thoroughly professional all-round performance from the home team as they registered a comprehensive victory by 317 runs. With England already in a spot of bother at the start of the 4th day, India needed to bowl tight lines in order to do the inevitable. Eventually, it proved to be a way too much for the visiting team as the Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin ran through the middle and the lower order to wreak havoc as England were skittled out for a meagre 160. Moeen Ali had some fun, in the end, smashing Axar and Ashwin for four sixes but he had no other options to be honest.
Arya: That's the end of the match and India will be relieved after levelling the series. You expect a team like India to bounce back from the annihilation they faced in the opening Test and what a way to respond to their critics.
Nikhil: Handshakes all around!! Moeen Ali entertained the crowd with some teriffic hitting at the end.
Nikhil: It's all over for England and India win this one by 317 runs!!! Six match winning streak away from home for England comes to an end!!
54.2 Kuldeep Yadav to Moeen Ali
W Gone! Fantastic collection from Pant and that is India back into the series with a stellar 317 runs victory. Flighted, pitched away from Moeen Ali, who is advancing to play the slog. He misses the ball on the sharp turn and Pant collects the ball close to the LOI wide line and brings it back quickly to uproot the stumps.
54.1 Kuldeep Yadav to Moeen Ali
4 Pitched up, Moeen Ali cracks the drive through the cover. This man is looking in such good touch.
OVER 54.0
England
160/9
Stuart Broad
5(10)
Moeen Ali
39(16)
Ravichandran Ashwin
3-53(18.0)
53.6 Ravichandran Ashwin to Stuart Broad
0 Carrom ball turning sharply into Broad. He fails to tuck it down. Lucky to not have gotten an inside edge into the pads which would have popped up to the silly point fielder.
53.5 Ravichandran Ashwin to Stuart Broad
0 Slider on the legs. Broad pads it on the leg stump
53.4 Ravichandran Ashwin to Moeen Ali
1 Slog sweeped along the ground, it will just be a single before the sweeper can cut it off.
Nikhil: With that Six, Moeen Ali becomes the highest run getter for England in this innings and it has just taken him 15 balls.
Commentary