India reach 309/5 at tea on Day 2 of Hyderabad Test; lead England by 63 runs

PTI

Hyderabad, January 26

India reached 309 for five at tea on day two in reply to England’s first innings total of 246 in the opening Test of the five-match series here on Friday.

Ravindra Jadeja and KS Bharat were batting on 45 and 9, respectively, at the break.

India, who had begun the day at 119 for 1, lead England by 63 runs.

The visitors were bowled out for 246 in their first innings on Day 1.

Earlier, KL Rahul was all imperious timing and he seemed to have imbibed a lot of confidence from that hundred against South Africa earlier this month at Centurion.

The conditions at the RGI Stadium were vastly different from the SuperSport Park but no less challenging, especially with England tweakers settling into an improved rhythm.

But, Rahul held his ground firmly with his technical correctness coming to the fore against both spinners and pacer.

Rahul's ability to improvise was there for all to see when he paddle-pulled Mark Wood for a four behind square leg, and he soon brought up his 14th Test fifty with a single off Joe Root.

But at the other end, Shreyas was not entirely comfortable, especially when Wood tested him with a few short-pitched balls.

England positioned a deep third man, deep fine leg and deep backward square leg to trap him, but the Mumbaikar survived the barrage to fight another session.

Even leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed managed to find an outside edge of Shreyas' bat, but the ball landed inches short of Root at first slip. 

However, India made an inauspicious start to the day, losing overnight batter Yashasvi Jaiswal in the fourth ball of the day's first over.

Jaiswal biffed a four through long-on in the second ball of that over but his attempt for an encore two balls later resulted in a tame return catch to Root.

England were understandably delighted after that wicket because an extended stay for Jaiswal would have further pushed them to the backfoot.

Gill, the other overnight batter, too could not kick on as his attempt to swat Hartley ended in the hands of Ben Duckett at mid-wicket, giving the left-arm spinner his maiden Test wicket. 

Brief Scores:

England: 246

India: 309 for 5 in 76 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 80, KL Rahul 86, Ravindra Jadeja 45 batting; Tom Hartley 2/113). PTI

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