India’s pacers endured a nightmare day at Old Trafford, allowing England’s openers to build a dominant partnership and seize control of the Test match.
A Challenging Day for India’s Bowlers
Despite shifts in weather conditions throughout the day, India’s bowlers struggled to make an impact. While the morning offered cloud cover and swing, the afternoon saw bright sunshine and reduced movement, but India’s attack failed to adapt and deliver.
Their collective struggles allowed England’s Ben Duckett (94) and Zak Crawley (84) to forge a formidable 166-run opening stand at a brisk pace. By the close of play, England reached 225/2, trailing India’s 358 by only 153 runs, making India’s first innings total look increasingly vulnerable.
Key Pacers Lose Their Edge
Bumrah and Siraj Lack Sting
Jasprit Bumrah, typically India’s spearhead, had a rare off-day. His usual pinpoint accuracy was missing, with balls drifting wide or down the leg side, and his pace seemed notably down. This made it easy for England’s batsmen to either leave deliveries or find boundaries.
Mohammed Siraj also appeared fatigued. Despite his consistent action, his deliveries lacked their usual zip and often tailed onto the batsmen’s pads. Debutant Anshul Kamboj, expected to deliver accurate, “heavy balls,” instead struggled with his precision, while Shardul Thakur proved ineffective.
England’s Openers Seize Control
The stark contrast in performance was evident in England’s opening pair. Duckett and Crawley displayed remarkable discipline and aggression, rarely being beaten or tempting into unforced errors during their long stay at the crease. Even when captain Shubman Gill introduced Ravindra Jadeja, Crawley immediately smashed a six, highlighting India’s growing frustration.
Cricket commentator Nasser Hussain highlighted how both Duckett and Crawley expertly punished loose deliveries. Duckett, in particular, was praised for his focus on handling good balls, while Crawley showed significant improvement in his shot selection, leaving well-bowled deliveries and dispatching anything short or wide.
Though both narrowly missed centuries, their dismissals came more from individual errors than from unplayable bowling. Crawley edged a Jadeja delivery, and Duckett flashed at a short ball from Kamboj outside off-stump. This underscored how even the wickets gained weren’t due to overwhelming pressure.
A Deflated Indian Camp
As the day concluded, a sense of deflation settled over the Indian dressing room. Coaches Gautam Gambhir and Shitanshu Kotak were seen inspecting the pitch with concerned expressions, a clear sign of the team’s worry as the match slipped away.
- India’s star pace attack, including Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, failed to make early breakthroughs.
- England’s openers, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, dominated with a 166-run partnership, shifting the match momentum.
- India’s first innings total of 358 now looks inadequate on a pitch that favored the batsmen in the afternoon session.
With England well-placed to build a significant lead, India faces an uphill battle to regain control in this crucial Test.
