Day 2 of the ongoing fifth and final Test series between England and India offered some entertaining cricket. Resuming their first innings, the visitors slumped from 204/6 to be bowled out for 224.
In response, English openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett started quickly, scoring 92 runs for the first wicket in just 12.5 overs. However, India fought their way back into the competition. From a position of strength, the hosts were crippled and bowled out for 247, holding a precarious 23-run lead.
Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna led the way for the visitors, both taking four wickets. KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal opened the second innings with a 46-run stand. Rahul struggled to get going and was removed for seven runs. Sai Sudharsan was likewise sent packing for eleven.
India finished the day at 75/2, with Jaiswal undefeated on 51 from 49 balls. On that subject, here are five records or milestones set on Day 2.
1. Joint-fastest team fifty in Tests against India
England scored the joint-fastest team fifty against India in the format. They reached 51 in seven overs, equaling Australia’s record set in Perth in 2011/12 when they reached 50 against India at the conclusion of the seventh over.
England also scored the third-fastest team hundred against India in the format. Their openers came out all guns blazing, helping them reach 100 runs in just 14.5 overs. Crawley scored the team’s hundred with a boundary off Akash Deep.
2. Most runs by an England opening pair against India
Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett surpassed the Test record for the most runs scored by an England opening combination against India with their 92-run stand. The combination has now scored 984 runs in 18 innings. They passed Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss, who had scored 932 runs in 20 innings.
Crawley and Duckett have also tied Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes as the opening combination with the most 50-plus partnerships against India in the format. They reached the 50-run mark for the eighth time. The two passed Cook and Strauss, who had seven 50-plus stands.
3. Second most runs at home against an opponent
Joe Root, a veteran England hitter, scored more than 2000 Test runs against India at home. He now has 2006 runs against them in England from 33 innings, including nine centuries and six half-centuries.
Root was removed for 29 off 45 balls on the second day. The English batsman is only second to the famous Sir Don Bradman. Bradman holds the record for most runs scored at home against an opponent in the format, with 2354 against England in Australia.
4. Second most runs at home
Joe Root now holds the second spot for most Test runs scored at home. Playing in England, the right-handed batter has made 7,224 runs in 146 innings. His average is an impressive 55.14, with 23 centuries and 33 half-centuries.
At the top of the list is former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting. He scored 7,578 runs in Tests played in Australia. Those runs came in 154 innings, with an average of 56.97. Ponting also hit 23 hundreds and 38 fifties during his career.
5. Mohammed Siraj crosses 200 international wickets
India bowler Mohammed Siraj achieved a personal landmark when he took his 200 th wicket in international cricket in all forms. On the second day he bowled four wickets and ended with 4/86. He has currently achieved 203 wickets in the international matches (118 Tests, 71 ODIs, 14 T20Is).
In this game, he got some key players out—England captain Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Jacob Bethell. So far, Siraj has taken the most wickets in the current series—18 wickets in 8 innings. His bowling average in the series is 35.66.
