As India posted a rippling showdown in the first innings of the second Test match with the ball in the hand that cracked England down for a paltry 134 in response to India’s 329, Michael Vaughan blasted the pitch and termed it as a poor surface for 5 days of gruelling Test cricket.
Despite the Indian batters lacking depth in the first innings, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane and Rishabh Pant belted out phenomenal performances to stave a formidable English bowling attack.
Moeen Ali was the pick of the lot with 4 wickets and was excellently complemented by Olly Stone who managed to scalp three crucial wickets.
India rode on some scintillating bowling from Ashwin who ripped the English batting by bits and pieces with a heroic fifer.
Vaughan tweeted in the first place, quoting, “It’s entertaining cricket as things are happening all the time but let’s be honest this Pitch is a shocker .. Not making any excuses as India have been better but this isn’t a Test Match 5 day prepared Pitch … #INDvENG”
It’s entertaining cricket as things are happening all the time but let’s be honest this Pitch is a shocker .. Not making any excuses as India have been better but this isn’t a Test Match 5 day prepared Pitch … #INDvENG
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 14, 2021
The emperor of leg-spin, Shane Warne delivered a rollicking counterblast, citing, “The toss was more important to win in the 1st test than this one, as it did nothing the 1st 2 days. Then exploded. This one has been a turner from ball one. Eng should’ve bowled India out for 220. No different between spinning or seaming & Rohit showed how to play on this surface”.
The toss was more important to win in the 1st test than this one, as it did nothing the 1st 2 days. Then exploded. This one has been a turner from ball one. Eng should’ve bowled India out for 220. No different between spinning or seaming & Rohit showed how to play on this surface https://t.co/xg1gPDetRs
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) February 14, 2021
It was indeed a heroic effort from the Hitman that negated the bowling infringements of the Three Lions.
Despite the surface contributing in its own sweet way, India is comfortably stationed in the driver’s seat and is expected to equalise in the series.
