India stutter after fine start
KOLKATA: It’s an outrage to even consider that Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli haven’t learned from their mistakes. Not after seven years. But James Anderson can do that to you in his backyard. Two exceptional balls pitched at near-perfect lengths brought out old habits and removed two of the world’s finest and grittiest batsmen. It also plunged India into choppy waters after a rare promising start.
At 97/0, hopes were very much alive of a standout batting performance that wouldn’t require a second innings to reinforce. But then Rohit Sharma fell, followed by Pujara and Kohli off consecutive Anderson deliveries. And as if those dismissals weren’t damaging enough, a reckless run out of Ajinkya Rahane left India with a gaping hole of a wound. KL Rahul is still at vigil, unbeaten on a well-crafted 57, along with Rishabh Pant, but there is no doubt India have lowered the drawbridge for England to mount a comeback.
But they will also rue not capitalising on the start they got on a rain curtailed Day 2. Overnight batsmen have to start from scratch next morning. And with the Dukes ball only 13 overs old when Anderson resumed proceedings, disaster was always a ball away.
With some luck on their side, Sharma and Rahul displayed the maturity of a battle-hardened pair, defending with soft hands, leaving the ones that were meant to be and conceding maidens till they slowly powered up to take the attack to England. Calculated and meticulous, they kept low and let Anderson bowl out his spells (he didn’t concede a boundary all day) but the rest were well accounted for.
Some of the choicest boundaries just happened to come against Sam Curran. Curran was dispatched through covers, point and down the ground till Robinson pulled one back in the 38th over with a surprise bouncer that Sharma couldn’t keep down. Two overs later, Anderson did what he does so well, prising an edge off Pujara’s bat before luring Kohli into a first-ball drive.
183 v 125/4 in 46.4 overs (KL Rahul 57 batting, R Sharma 36; J Anderson 2/15, O Robinson
1/32)
1. George Foreman, at 45
2. Mary Lou Retton (US). 1984 LA
3. Men’s handball
4. 1972 Munich. USSR 51-50
5. Cathy Freeman (Aus) 2000 Sydney