India v England: fourth Test, day two – live | England in India 2024

In the studio, Alastair Cook sees no devils in the pitch. “England are going to have to be really patient and try and use their field placing to force mistakes from the Indian batters.” Time for me to make some coffee and grab some breakfast, back shortly.

Lunch, India 34-1, trail England by 319 runs

9th over: India 26-1 (Jaiswal 19, Gill 4) With just a few minutes till lunch, time for some spin, and Bashir gets the nod, replacing Anderson. Jaiswal picks up a single as outside the window, in the darkness, a blackbird sings.

8th over: India 25-1 (Jaiswal 18, Gill 4) Jaiswal not tempted by a zipper from Robinson; Nick Knight exhalts his defensive technique, bat neatly inside the line. Pressure released with one over pitched that he clips away. Lots of happy noise from the crowd around this impressive stadium.

7th over: India 22-1 (Jaiswal 16, Gill 1) The Stokes-Anderson brains trust bring in a leg slip. But the two young blades playing sensibly here, watchful.

“What a start, about to meet a non-cricketing friend who I haven’t’t seen for 10 years.” writes Joel Eley. “ Every time I have popped out this series England have collapsed. Hope this jinx holds true for India’s innings.” We will do our best.

6th over: India 20-1 (Jaiswal 16, Gill 1) Gill watchful, Robinson immediately on a good length. Gill picks upa single into the leg side.

Different OBO correspondent opinions on England’s last three wickets to fall.

“My thoughts on that Bashir dismissal are quite unsuited to a 5amOBO email,” taps Brian Withington, “or any other medium or timezone for that matter. I know England have created a fearless environment but that second delivery ‘shot’ made a mockery of every ball that Joe Root so patiently faced and negotiated. Let’s hope the young man can redeem himself with the ball, and that the Indian batters have somehow not noticed that this wicket is not conducive to sweeping …”

while JJ muses:

“I am sure Stokes told them 350 was the aim today, and after Robinson was out every batter should just go smash it. That’s bazball, a 20 year old tailender doesn’t swat for a 6 unless he’s been told do what u wantI think Ben wants to get Jimmy out there asap .”

5th over: India 19-1 (Jaiswal 16, Gill 0) Early punishment for Anderson as Jaiswal off drives, wonderfully, to the rope, then flicks something legside off his boots for four more next ball. Immaculate defence follows.

4th over: India 9-1 (Jaiswal 6, Gill 0) Ooof, Jaiswal picks up four but with a thick outside edge off Robinson that bounces just before the hand of a stretching Crawley at second slip. Then survives jabbing a ball down which nearly rebounds onto the stumps.

3rd over: India 4-1 (Jaiswal 1, Gill 0) Anderson immediately into the groove, plink after plonk on the dollar, wicket collected.

WICKET! Sharma c Foakes b Anderson 2 (India 4-1)

2nd over: India 1-0 (Jaiswal 0, Rohit 0) Robinson takes the ball for the first time this series. He has had an old fashioned experiment with bleach, which sits on top of his head like a Belisha Beacon . On target, apart from a no ball, and Rohit Sharma very nearly gets into trouble trying to cut an outswinger.

1st over: India 0-0 (Jaiswal 0, Rohit 0) Here we go! Anderson, with blond hair and new ball, races in at young Jaiswal, whose Test average from 14 innings is now 71. With high hands, he lets Anderson’s first three balls fly safely by. Swing for Jimmy, safely negotiated.

And hello Jāna Jēruma Grīnberga
”I’ve been up for an hour or so, keeping an eye on OBO and now watching rosy-fingered dawn slowly creeping over the Baltic sky. And feeling quite emotional about Rooooot saving England’s day yet again; whether he’s really “the best player we’ve ever had” as Crawley said, is a mooooot point, but he’s certainly a candidate for nicest England player that I can remember.”

How beautiful. And I agree, Root certainly one of the nicest, as well as the best batsman – of my lifetime at least.

A brief foray to the kettle beckons, but I reckon England will be happy enough with 350, even if they didn’t squeeze all they could out of Root.

“What Ho Tanya” Good morning Sandy Wilson!

“3pm local time here on a research ship between Melbourne & Tasmania at Lat 39.6 S / Lon 143.0 E, lovely sunny day and a StarLink system to follow the next installment of what’s been a cracking series so far.

“Excellent timing for a change, early bed then up in time for the Calcutta Cup – couldn’t be better!

Fingers crossed etc,”

Sounds intriguing! Wishing you smooth seas.

WICKET! Anderson lbw Jadeja 0 (England 353 all out)

104th over: England 352-9 (Root 121, Anderson 0) “Happy to see England ticking on in the mid 300s but as a long time England fan, any optimism suggesting big totals is just tempting fate and makes me very nervous.” Ah yes, sorry about that James Kinsella. Root ticks off a single and they take DRINKS!

103rd over: England 351-9 (Root 120, Anderson 0) Jadeja, suddenly finding sparks in the pitch, changes the complexity of the game again.

WICKET! Bashir c Patidar b Jadeja 0 (England 349-9)

WICKET! Robinson c Jurel b Jadeja 58 (England 348-8)

102nd over: England 347-7 (Root 119, Robinson 58) A bowling change, as Kuldeep Yadav gets an early twirl. Trouble immediately as Root edges a beauty, towards the crouching Sharma at slip. Sharma rolls over to take the catch but as he comes up for air he throws the ball away. Then rethinks and shrugs doing a little sign for a replay. So the umpires do. But, sure enough, the replay shows the ball grazing the ground before Sharma’s hands.

“Hi Tanya.” Morning Brian Withington.

”Never mind the corridor of uncertainty, what the hell is a par score on this pitch?!

”My various estimates yesterday went from 250 to 150, back to 250 and then upwards, and are now hovering anywhere between 350 and 500.

”Help, as the young Lennon & McCartney (think a clean shaven Stokes and McCullum) might have put it (with an emphatic exclamation mark).”

Hmmm. Ask me after India have batted. But 350 must be decent. Mustn’t it?

101st over: England 347-7 (Root 119, Robinson 58) England quietly accumulating. 400 and counting on the cards.

100th over: England 346-7 (Root 118, Robinson 58) The hundred partnership comes up, off 146 balls, as Root tucks into a short one and pulls him for four. This is now the second highest eighth wicket partnership for England in India, behind just Dawson and Rashid’s 108 in 2016. And a great irritant for India.

“Morning Tanya,” hello William Vignoles!

“I find myself missing a slight hangover waiting for my two year old to get back to sleep enough to return to my bed – what better way to pass the time than with the OBO.

“Hoping he proves me wrong today but is it just me or does Joe Root seemingly struggle to get started again the next day? I don’t have figures to hand but it feels like if he’s not out overnight, he rarely beds back in.”

That’s you and Brian Withington, William. I should know the answer to this, but but I’m afraid I don’t. It feels right though.

99th over: England 340-7 (Root 112, Robinson 58) If only I’d opened my inbox earlier, I would have realised that I had Root batting from both ends for a while this morning. Neil Bailey in Vancover one of many, “loving the idea that Root is batting at both ends right now.” Though, to be fair, Robinson has easily outscored him this morning. Just another single off Jadeja .

98th over: England 340-7 (Root 112, Robinson 58) On comms, Graeme Swann points out that India are a bit lacking in energy this morning, and he’s right. They’re standing around like a wet weekend, Siraj apart, who steams in. Two bouncers beat Robinson who goes for the swipe, and misses both times.

97th over: England 336-7 (Root 110, Robinson 55) Jadeja beats Root with a fizzer that beats the bat.

96th over: England 335-7 (Root 110, Robinson 55) A change of ends for the elegantly pomaded Siraj, four singles off him.

Just remember to open my inbox – hello, hello! – here’s lots of you out there. First to Acharya Samudra:
”Indian here, hoping we get an even game today. I expect the tail won’t bat long, given the trend of Eng losing wickets in the morning. England’s spinners’ performance will reveal much about the pitch and what is a good par score.”

Fifty for Ollie Robinson!

94th over: England 324-7 (Root 108, Robinson 48) Robinson square cuts, short of point, and the ball flies away to the rope. Deep then beats him past the outside edge as Robinson goes to play and thinks better of it. A bead of sweat glistens on Deep’s forehead. Ah, and then an ugly but effective pancake slap for four. Followed by a pull for four more to spoil Deep’s figures.

93rd over: England 312-7 (Root 106, Robinson 36) Siraj’s third ball sizzles off the surface, over the tall Robinson’s head, over the keeper’s leaping gloves, for four.

Ali Martin has been in touch from Ranchi. “I heard Ollie Robinson on TV this morning saying him and Root chatted about bringing up the 100 with a reverse ramp … “but thought better of it.” Would have been very funny.

92nd over: England 307-7 (Root 106, Robinson 35) Deep returns after his impressive turn yesterday. Needs a couple more for five on debut. A watchful Root plays out a maiden. Ah, too soon, his sixth ball is a no ball, but Root watches out the seventh too.

91st over: England 306-7 (Root 106, Robinson 35) Siraj jumps up and down, knees to his chin, at the top of his mark. No new ball yet, and the old ball disappears for four straight away as he drifts leg side and Robinson flicks him off his boots. At last, two balls in, India take the the shiny red cherry. Swing, immediately, but no cigar.

“Morning Tanya,” Hello Martin Wright!

“You well? Dog well? Me, rather sleepy this morning, but since I’m in India and it’s a very civilised 9.15 a.m., I realise I’m being insensitive just mentioning that in the company of what I assume are mostly bleary-eyed wintry English early risers. Anyway… old-school test cricket, eh?! Dontcha just love it?! And will Roooooot confound us this morning by unfurling a couple of reverse scoops in the first over, just to keep us on our toes…?”

I wouldn’t be surprised.

Do get in touch if you’re up and musing, I’d love to hear from you.

Cup of tea made, , the dog is frolicking with a cardboard loo roll tube. In two minutes time, presumably, Rohit Sharma will have taken the new ball.

Time to put the kettle on, back in five:

So many reactions to Joe Root yesterday, here are just a couple:

And

Put on the television to see Graeme Swann crouching down at a huge zigzag crack. A pitch to grind it out, he says, where you must play straight and not try to sweep. As a bowler, keep the stumps in play. Back in the studio, Sir Alastair muses that the Indians aren’t big sweepers anyway.

Preamble