Leeds: After a dominant opening day with the bat, India suffered a stunning collapse on Day 2 of the first Test at Headingley, as England fought back with both ball and bat to wrestle the momentum back in their favour, trailing by 262 runs at stumps but with the upper hand in spirit.
India, who resumed at a formidable 359/3, were bowled out for 471, despite having three centurions—Shubman Gill (147), Rishabh Pant (134), and Yashasvi Jaiswal (101). Remarkably, it became the lowest total in Test history for a side with three individual centuries, as India lost their last seven wickets for just 41 runs.
England responded strongly with the bat, ending the day at 209/3. Ollie Pope anchored the innings with an unbeaten 100—his second consecutive Test century—guiding England through a tricky spell under overcast skies. He found able company in Ben Duckett (62), with the duo putting on a 122-run stand for the second wicket that largely nullified India’s early gains.
Jasprit Bumrah was the standout bowler for India, striking early to remove Zak Crawley with a jaffa and later accounting for Duckett and Joe Root, his 10th dismissal of Root in Tests. He nearly added Harry Brook to that list in the final over but was denied by a no-ball after inducing a catch at midwicket.
Earlier in the day, India looked set to post a mammoth score. Pant celebrated his seventh Test ton with a trademark one-handed six and a jubilant somersault. He and Gill added 209 for the fourth wicket in an entertaining session before Gill fell on 147 and Pant soon after for 134, triggering India’s collapse. Ben Stokes and Josh Tongue shared four wickets each, leading England’s comeback.
England’s bowlers exploited a shift in conditions post-lunch, with clouds aiding movement and bringing India’s scoring to a sudden halt. Tongue cleaned up the tail swiftly after Lunch, taking the last three wickets.
Despite the early setback with Crawley's wicket, England’s batters absorbed pressure and then counter-attacked effectively. Duckett and Pope were aggressive against India’s inconsistent support bowling, punishing Mohammad Siraj and debutant Prasidh Krishna. Missed chances from Jaiswal and Jadeja further aided England's recovery.
Though Bumrah's late strikes provided India some relief, Pope’s determined century ensured England ended the day with the psychological edge.
Brief Scores:
India 471 (Shubman Gill 147, Rishabh Pant 134, Yashasvi Jaiswal 101; Ben Stokes 4/66, Josh Tongue 4/86)
England 209/3 (Ollie Pope 100*, Ben Duckett 62; Jasprit Bumrah 3/48)
England trail by 262 runs.
