Player of the Match
Player of the Match

END OF OVER:
20 | 6 Runs 1 Wkt | ENG: 164/6 | RR: 8.20

  • Sam Curran6 (5b)
  • Chris Jordan0 (0b)
  • Shardul Thakur4-0-29-2
  • Bhuvneshwar Kumar4-0-28-1

8.47 pm: Quite terrific from the Indian bowlers to rein England in to 164 only. They looked on track for at least 20 more when Roy, Bairstow and Morgan were batting, but the changes in pace - especially by Shardul Thakur - worked a treat. The England batsmen couldn't quite read the variations, and ended up swishing and missing, or mistiming, rather a lot. India gambled by going into this game with only five bowlers - all five did well. Thakur was the pick of the lot for me, but each one either made an important breakthrough or bowled an important quiet over. And now, with only 165 needed and a lengthier batting line-up, India should fancy their chances of levelling the series. Andrew Miller will be back with you for the start of the second innings.

19.6
4
Thakur to SM Curran, FOUR, they finally connect one cleanly. Length outside off and he lifts it straight, over the bowler and bounces into the boundary
19.5
0
Thakur to SM Curran, no run, beaten once again The offcutter that pitches on a length and is going across the left-handed batsman. He swings and is beaten by a long way
19.4
W
Thakur to Stokes, OUT, caught at long-on. Stokes has not got his timing right at any point in this innings and another pace variation has him mistiming a pull that plops up for an easy catch to Hardik at long-on

BA Stokes c Pandya b Thakur 24 (27m 21b 1x4 0x6) SR: 114.28

19.3
0
Thakur to Stokes, no run, superb from Thakur. This assortment of off-cutters is completely foxing England. Stokes clears his leg and aims over cover, can't lay bat on ball and swishes and misses
19.2
1b
Thakur to SM Curran, 1 bye, swing and a miss. They scamper a bye. Curran can't read the variations of his CSK teammate either, another slower one but fuller and wider outside off, went for the big drive, and couldn't connect
19.1
1
Thakur to Stokes, 1 run, pace off again, on a length, the off-cutter. Stokes wanted to swat that way over, gets it off the bottom half to midwicket. Sprints hard for the first and wants a second but can't get one

Shardul to bowl the last over.

END OF OVER:
19 | 9 Runs | ENG: 158/5 | RR: 8.31

  • Ben Stokes23 (18b)
  • Sam Curran2 (2b)
  • Bhuvneshwar Kumar4-0-28-1
  • Shardul Thakur3-0-24-1
18.6
1
Kumar to Stokes, 1 run, length well outside off, cuts fiercely but only a single since there is a fielder in the deep
18.5
4
Kumar to Stokes, FOUR, Stokes connects with one Too full and he clears his front leg and absolutely slams it straight. Goes over the umpire who was ducking, and pings into the boundary
18.4
2
Kumar to Stokes, 2 runs, misfield by Pandy at cover. Punched to him and he lets it through
18.3
0
Kumar to Stokes, no run, excellent from Bhuvneshwar again. Sees Stokes coming down and fires in a yorker that is dug back out to the bowler. He's got smarts too, because as soon as he gets the ball he turns around quick as a flash to see if there's an opportunity to run the non-striker out. but Curran was back
18.2
0
Kumar to Stokes, no run, and just as I say that Bhuvneshwar bowls a 136kph one outside off on a length, going across Stokes. He's sitting down and trying to scoop over the keeper, can't connect

Right so there's pace off nearly every ball now. And it's working too

18.1
2
Kumar to Stokes, 2 runs, length ball, well wide of off stump, stands tall and slaps it to long-off. Slower one again

shayan: "sharp fall? Is that sarcasm? It's five runs, no?"

- not at all sarcasm. A fall of 5 runs at this stage is sharp.

END OF OVER:
18 | 7 Runs 1 Wkt | ENG: 149/5 | RR: 8.27

  • Ben Stokes14 (12b)
  • Sam Curran2 (2b)
  • Shardul Thakur3-0-24-1
  • Hardik Pandya4-0-33-0
17.6
1
Thakur to Stokes, 1 run, fuller on the stumps, clipped off his toes to midwicket
17.5
1
Thakur to SM Curran, 1 run, fuller on the stumps, pushed to cover. too early into the shot, another slower ball - 115 kph. They're not reading Shardul's slower ones.
17.4
3
Thakur to Stokes, 3 runs, low full toss outside off, another slower ball but he's read that and guides it nicely through backward point. They push hard and get a third because there's no fielder there and this is hit softly enough to require a long sprint
17.3
1
Thakur to SM Curran, 1 run, fuller outside off, opens the face to steer to third man
17.2
1
Thakur to Stokes, 1 run, almost carries to Ishan at point. A bit too close to his body to cut, and he doesn't attempt to force the shot, so it goes limply off his bat. Kishan gathers it just in front of him. Another slower ball

Sharp fall in expected total with Morgan's wicket - from 175 to 170.

17.1
W
Thakur to Morgan, OUT, slower ball gets him. Superbly disguised. Morgan was giving himself room and looking to go over extra cover, this was the off-cutter and bowled very wide outside off, Morgan ends up toe-ending it straight up and Pant takes an easy catch.

EJG Morgan c †Pant b Thakur 28 (29m 20b 4x4 0x6) SR: 140.00

END OF OVER:
17 | 6 Runs | ENG: 142/4 | RR: 8.35

  • Ben Stokes9 (9b)
  • Eoin Morgan28 (19b)
  • Hardik Pandya4-0-33-0
  • Bhuvneshwar Kumar3-0-19-1
16.6
0
Pandya to Stokes, no run, excellent finish by Hardik with a slower bouncer. Stokes hasn't read that at all, and is in position to pull too early. Starts the shot too early too, and the ball hits him on the bat when it's nearly over his shoulder and thuds back into the ground near him. Could have rolled onto the stumps
16.5
0
Pandya to Stokes, no run, swing and a miss. Charging down to crash this through extra cover, can't connect.
16.4
2
Pandya to Stokes, 2 runs, scooped over short third man. Improvisation from Stokes there, to counter Hardik's pace-off strategy. Got into position to dilscoop almost, but ended up changing direction and going the other way. Chahal sprints back from inside the circle and pulls it back inside the boundary
16.3
2
Pandya to Stokes, 2 runs, back of a length outside off, taken the pace off again, more than the last ball. 113 clicks only. He has to wait for it and ends up softly flat-batting it through midwicket
16.2
1
Pandya to Morgan, 1 run, slower short ball, he has to wait for it and doesn't read it, mistimes the pull that trickles to square leg

Mayank: "Are leg byes actually "conceded"? I mean as a bowler you do well to beat the batsman's shot so that the ball strikes him on body and rolls somewhere. It should not be a negative statistic in my oponion"

- they don't count against the bowler's figures Mayank. But they are conceded by the team, I suppose.

16.1
1
Pandya to Stokes, 1 run, yorker outside off, driven through cover

England's predicted score is at 178 now. Hardik back into the attack for his final over.

SameerPonnada: "15.3... that pinpointed Yorker is why Bhuvi finds himself in the team despite heavy competition "

END OF OVER:
16 | 7 Runs | ENG: 136/4 | RR: 8.50

  • Ben Stokes4 (4b)
  • Eoin Morgan27 (18b)
  • Bhuvneshwar Kumar3-0-19-1
  • Yuzvendra Chahal4-0-34-1
15.6
1
Kumar to Stokes, 1 run, slower ball, outside off, driven to long-off. Went hard at it, too hard to time it properly

England tour of India 2020-21 News

India 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st0KL RahulIshan Kishan
2nd94V KohliIshan Kishan
3rd36V KohliRR Pant
4th36V KohliSS Iyer