1st Test: Rahul, Axar keep steady India after Hartley dismisses top-order in chase of 231

28-01-2024 Sun 16:41 | Sports | IANS

KL Rahul and Axar Patel added 32 for the fourth wicket to keep India steady in their pursuit of chasing down 231 after ending tea session on day four’s play at 95/3 in 29 overs.

At the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, left-arm spinner Hartley, who had figures of 2-131, bowled in the right areas to take out the Indian top-order. From 63/3, Rahul (21 not out) and Axar (17 not out) showed calmness and resolve to ensure India suffered no more setbacks till tea arrived.

The duo, especially Rahul, who made 86 in the first innings, hold the key for India to get another 136 runs for taking a 1-0 lead over England in the five-game series. The second session began sedately before Rohit smashed two boundaries off Mark Wood – with the second one coming after it dropped short of Zak Crawley at second slip.

While Rohit put away full tosses from Joe Root to the boundary ropes, Yashasvi Jaiswal got going with boundaries off sweep and cut shots. England kept attacking in-out fields to keep the openers in check, but burnt a review in the sixth over. Hartley shortened his length on Jaiswal charging down the pitch and Jaiswal flicked straight into the hands of Ollie Pope at short leg.

One brought two as a tentative Shubman Gill pushed at a Hartley delivery and Pope at silly mid-off took a sharp catch to dismiss the batter for a two-ball duck. Hartley and Jack Leach, bowling with an injured knee, found sharp turn, and beat the outer edges of the bats. Rohit tried to unsettle them with a flurry of boundaries coming via sweep and reverse-sweeps.

But Hartley got one to beat Rohit on the inside edge and trapped him plumb lbw, as India lost their captain and a review. From there, Rahul and Axar joined forces to stabilise the Indian chase.

Rahul remained low and swept well to take boundaries off Hartley. On the other hand, Axar pounced on Rehan Ahmed’s fuller deliveries for two fours before pulling the short ball to make it three boundaries off the leg-spinner.

Brief Scores: England 246 and 420 in 102.1 overs (Ollie Pope 196; Ben Duckett 47; Jasprit Bumrah 4-41, Ravichandran Ashwin 3-126) lead India 436 and 95/3 in 29 overs (Rohit Sharma 39, KL Rahul 21 not out; Tom Hartley 3-31) by 136 runs.