Internet Desk: Parthiv Patel gave a much better account of his batting skills as his unbeaten 37 helped India reach 60 for one at lunch after the hosts bowled out the visitors for 283 on the second day of the third cricket Test, here.
In the morning Mohammed Shami (3/63) polished off the tail with England managing to add 15 runs to their overnight score of 268 for eight.
Coming back into the Test team after eight years, Patel did not look much jittery while wielding the willow compared to his blemishes while donning the big gloves as Indians lost only Murali Vijay (12) during the opening session.
The pint-sized wicketkeeper batsman also successfully reviewed a caught behind appeal which was given out by umpire Marais Erasmus. In all, he hit six boundaries in 73 balls.
Cheteshwar Pujara (8) was giving him company having hit two boundaries.
That Patel’s batting has improved tremendously is something that’s known to one and all but what was reassuring was the confidence with which he tackled the new ball bowlers Jimmy Anderson and Chris Woakes.
It’s never easy opening the batting after being informed at the eleventh hour with a regular opener out due to an injury.
Nerves are bound to be there and more so if one has to open the batting on his comeback Test in the morning when the conditions are conducive for swing bowlers.
A tuck off his hips to the square leg boundary eased his nerves. There was delightful off-drive followed by a thickish inside edge in the very next delivery bowled by Stokes.
When Moeen Ali flighted one, he was quick to dispatch him through the covers.
The shot of the morning certainly was a push past Anderson that raced to the boundary. It was not even a firm push let alone be called a drive. But the flow in his gentle push was there to be seen.
The wicket certainly eased out considerably although it’s on the slower side. Understanding the nature of the strip, skipper Alastair Cook was seen removing the second and third slips early. The gully was also taken off as the lesser carry meant that balls won’t fly off the surface.
At the start of the day, Shami with first ball of the second over got Adil Rashid (4) to nick a delivery that only moved a shade away. He then wrapped it up by getting an in-cutter to trap Gareth Batty (1) leg before.