Birmingham: Yashasvi Jaiswal continued his good run in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series by hitting an unbeaten 62 as India made 98/2 in 25 overs at lunch on day one of the second Test against England at a sunny Edgbaston on Wednesday.
It was a session of two halves for India after being pushed into batting first by England skipper Ben Stokes. A magnificent Chris Woakes took out KL Rahul, before Jaiswal passed a tough examination, including being 16 off 34 balls at one point, to notch up his 11th Test fifty and build a stand of 80 runs with Karun Nair for the second wicket.
Though Nair fell to a snorter from Brydon Carse, Jaiswal, who scored a century at Headingley, and skipper Shubman Gill (one not out) should look to capitalise once the ball becomes older in the second session. With very little movement on offer for seamers, Jaiswal absolutely hammered Carse for a punch through point and drive through cover.
Local lad Woakes was rewarded for his perseverance with the new ball when KL Rahul chopped on to his stumps for just two. He could have got both Jaiswal and Nair, coming in at number three in place of an omitted B Sai Sudharsan, lbw but survived on umpire’s call.
Nair displayed pristine timing on his drives, as well as in flicking Ben Stokes through the gap between mid-on and mid-wicket. With Josh Tongue being wayward, it allowed Jaiswal to free his arms for driving and cutting with panache – resulting in three boundaries coming in the 16th over and the same happening in the 22nd over – with a hook and slash taking Jaiswal to his fifty.
Carse then returned to catch the shoulder edge of Nair’s bat and was caught by second slip, before Jaiswal and Gill walked off the field after having a session where the honours were even.
Brief Scores: India 98/2 in 25 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 62 not out, Karun Nair 31; Brydon Carse 1-14, Chris Woakes 1-15) against England
(IANS)
