ENG vs IND 2018: Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane Put India Into Command

Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane scored unbeaten fifties as India finished the second session on 189 for 3.

India were firmly on the backfoot when the second session started. After Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul gave the team a flying start, Chris Woakes took three wickets in quick succession to put England on top. However, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane batted India to a position of strength by scoring unbeaten fifties.

Kohli and Rahane had their task cut out when the session started. India started the proceedings on backfoot due to Chris Woakes’ triple strike late in the first session. But the duo mixed caution with aggression to steady the ship before taking India to a good position.

Earlier in the day, KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan showed that the batting debacle at Lord’s was one off. The duo came out to bat with intent as India were off to a good start after being put to bat first.

All eyes were on Dhawan who came in the playing eleven at Murali Vijay’s place. The southpaw showed signs of weakness early like when he had a narrow escape with an edge off James Anderson flying over the slip cordon. But as the game progressed, he started showing his will to grind it out. The Delhi star shelved his usual attacking game and left deliveries that were well outside off. But at the same time, he latched onto the deliveries that deserved to be hit.

On the other hand, Rahul adapted an ultra-cautious approach.  The partnership soon crossed the 10-over mark. It was the first time since Brisbane 2014 that the Indian openers lasted 10 or more overs on the first morning of a Test outside Asia.

Rahul then hit a cracking cover-drive to take the team’s score past the 50-run mark. But just when it looked the openers would see off the first session, Chris Woakes dismissed both of them in quick succession to spoil India’s fine start.

He first made Dhawan edge one to the slip to end the 60-run stand. The left-handed batsman scored 35.  5 runs later, Woakes had Rahul lbw to leave India reeling at 65 for 2. Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara then stopped the rot for a while. But the duo could add just 17 runs before Woakes struck again to remove Pujara and help England make a fine comeback before the umpire called for lunch.

Brief scores:

India 189 for 3 (Virat Kohli 51*,  Ajinkya Rahane 53* Chris Woakes 3-45) vs England.