NEW DELHI: India's pace maestro, Jasprit Bumrah, unleashed a dazzling display of seam bowling on day two of the second Test in Visakhapatnam, snaring two key wickets to leave England reeling at 155/4 in response to India's first-innings total of 396.
England's early innings seemed poised for success as Zak Crawley (76) and Ben Duckett (21) propelled the team to a strong start, cruising at 114-1 with a run rate of five runs per over.
Crawley, in particular, exhibited dominance, notching a brisk fifty off just 52 balls, including a spectacular six off Kuldeep Yadav.
However, the pendulum swung back in India's favor when Yadav dismissed Duckett, initiating a series of setbacks for the visitors.
Crawley's promising innings was cut short when he miscued a shot against Axar Patel, and Shreyas Iyer executed a sensational tumbling catch.
Bumrah, showcasing his mastery in seam bowling, then returned to the attack to claim the pivotal wickets of Joe Root (5) and Ollie Pope (23). Pope, in particular, struggled to contend with a brilliant Bumrah yorker that dismantled his stumps.
At the tea break, England's innings stood at 155-4, with Johnny Bairstow (24) and Ben Stokes (5) at the crease, still trailing India by 241 runs.
Earlier in the day, Yashasvi Jaiswal left an indelible mark on the match, crafting a spectacular innings of 209, characterized by seven sixes and 19 fours. Jaiswal's brilliance formed the backbone of India's innings, where no other batter managed to cross the fifty-run mark.
England's seamers James Anderson, debutant Shoaib Bashir, and spinner Rehan Ahmed exhibited resilience by claiming three wickets each.
As the second Test continues, the contest remains finely poised, with Bumrah's impactful spell providing India with the upper hand heading into the remaining sessions.
(With inputs from Reuters)
