England wobble
SECOND TEST: Bairstow half-century the consolation against fiery India bowlers
Cricket Association Stadium.
Paceman Umesh Yadav drew first blood when he got Haseeb Hameed caught for nine at gully with a delivery that kicked up off a length.
Home captain Virat Kohli introduced spin in the 13th over and Jayant Yadav responded by dismissing Joe Root for 15 in his second over.
England’s batting mainstay fluffed a pull shot across the line and was trapped leg-before to a perfectly innocuous delivery from the offspinner.
Cook, meanwhile, led a charmed life at the other end with Ravindra Jadeja failing to pouch an edge and Ravichandran Ashwin spilling a sitter. Mohammed Shami was the luckless bowler on both occasions.
Ashwin redeemed himself 10 minutes later with his very first delivery, which Cook edged to wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel. Cook made 27 but his dismissal came from a rash shot chasing a wide delivery.
Shami finally tasted success when he bounced out Moeen Ali for 16 but Bairstow and Stokes steadied the innings with a 57-run stand before another touring batsman decided to throw his wicket away.
Stokes, on 29, marched down the pitch to Jadeja only to miss the ball and Patel, replacing the injured Wriddhiman Saha behind the stumps, had all the time in the world to whip off the bails.
Bairstow teamed up with Buttler to add 69 runs for the sixth wicket in a relatively more productive second session.
Buttler fell for 43, when he trotted out to chip Jadeja to Kohli at extra cover in yet another soft dismissal.
Bairstow got a reprieve when Patel dropped him off Yadav but the offspinner trapped the batsman lbw with the very next delivery.
England reviewed the decision but Bairstow’s 260-minute vigil, during which he faced 177 balls and hit six boundaries, was over. Reuters
England’s
avoids a run-out against India on the first day of the second Test in Mohali yesterday.