Day 2 of the first Test between India and England at Headingley, Leeds, saw England claw their way back into the match, trailing India by 262 runs at the close of play. India, after dominating Day 1, were eventually bowled out for 471, failing to capitalize on their strong position. England responded aggressively, finishing the day at 209/3, with Ollie Pope's century being the highlight of their innings.
India started the day strongly, with Shubman Gill completing his century and Rishabh Pant continuing his aggressive knock. The duo looked set to take India to a massive total, but England staged a comeback, picking up wickets at regular intervals. From a comfortable 430/3, India collapsed to 471 all out, losing their last seven wickets for just 41 runs. Josh Tongue was the pick of the English bowlers, finishing with a four-wicket haul. Shoaib Bashir also chipped in with a crucial wicket, dismissing Gill for 147.
England's reply began disastrously as Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Zak Crawley for a duck in the very first over. Bumrah continued to trouble the English batsmen, also removing Ben Duckett and Joe Root. However, Ollie Pope stood firm, displaying remarkable resilience and skill. He forged a crucial partnership with Ben Duckett initially, and then with Joe Root, before Root's dismissal.
Pope reached his century in a memorable fashion, but Bumrah struck back immediately, dismissing Root. However, Bumrah's effort was partially undone when he bowled a no-ball late in the day, giving Harry Brook a reprieve. Brook survived to fight another day, remaining at the crease with Pope at the close of play.
Jasprit Bumrah was the standout performer for India, picking up all three English wickets to fall. He bowled with pace and accuracy, consistently troubling the batsmen. However, he lacked support from the other end, with the other Indian bowlers failing to make a significant impact. Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, and Prasidh Krishna all went wicketless. Mohammed Siraj bowled some good spells but was unlucky not to pick up a wicket, even having a catch dropped off his bowling.
England will be the happier of the two sides at the end of Day 2. After India's strong start, England fought back admirably to restrict them to under 500 and then responded with a solid batting performance. Ollie Pope's century was a testament to his skill and determination, and he will be key to England's chances of getting close to India's total.
India, on the other hand, will be disappointed with their performance on Day 2. After dominating Day 1, they failed to capitalize on their advantage and allowed England to get back into the match. Their lower-order collapse was particularly disappointing, and their bowlers, apart from Bumrah, struggled to make an impact. India will need to regroup and come back strongly on Day 3 if they want to regain control of the Test match. The match is currently well-poised, with both teams having a chance to take the upper hand. Day 3 promises to be crucial in determining the outcome of the first Test.
