England mounted a spirited fightback against India on Day 2 of the first Test at Headingley, with Ollie Pope's magnificent, unbeaten century leading the charge. After India were bowled out for 471, Pope's innings propelled England to 209/3 at stumps, significantly reducing the deficit to 262 runs.

India had earlier dominated the match, with centuries from Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant setting them up for a massive first-innings total. However, England's bowlers, led by Ben Stokes and Josh Tongue, staged a remarkable comeback of their own, taking the last seven Indian wickets for just 41 runs. Tongue finished with 4-8 in 17 balls.

England's batting innings began under gloomy skies, and Jasprit Bumrah immediately posed a threat, dismissing Zak Crawley early. Bumrah continued to trouble the English batsmen, but Ben Duckett and Pope formed a resilient partnership, adding 122 runs for the second wicket. Duckett reached his half-century but was eventually bowled by Bumrah for 62.

Pope, however, remained steadfast, displaying remarkable composure and skill. He survived a few close calls, including a testing spell from Bumrah, a narrow escape from an lbw decision, and a dropped catch. He made the most of these reprieves, gradually building his innings and playing with increasing confidence. He reached his half-century with a streaky edge off Bumrah.

As the day progressed, Pope's strokeplay became more fluent, and he began to dominate the Indian bowling attack. He brought up his ninth Test century off 131 balls, his second against India, with a scrambled single, marking a significant moment in the match and for the young batsman. It's notable that India is the first team against whom Pope has scored multiple Test centuries; his previous eight centuries were against different nations.

Bumrah, despite his impressive performance, was unlucky at times, with catches being dropped off his bowling. He eventually ended the day with three wickets, but also had a no-ball that negated a fourth. Harry Brook survived the final over due to Bumrah overstepping.

At the close of play, Pope remained unbeaten on 100, with Harry Brook yet to score. England's fightback, spearheaded by Pope's century, has brought the Test back into the balance, setting the stage for an intriguing Day 3. Pope's innings was a testament to his talent and temperament, repaying the faith shown in him by the England team management.