Xtra Time Web Desk: England batsman Ollie Pope (81 off 159) and all rounder Chris Woakes (50 off 60) made the most of the batting conditions at The Oval on Day 2 to see the hosts scoring 290 all out in the first innings, taking a crucial 99 runs lead. India at stumps on Day 2 is 43 for no loss with Rahul and Rohit batting on 22 and 20 respectively.
The hosts staged a remarkable recovery after being 62/5. But despite losing the initiative, India are still in the match after restricting the English lead to less than 100. India will need to post a considerable total to put pressure on the England batting in the second innings. Rohit already got a life on 6 when he Rory Burns failed to sight a regulation catch at second slip.
Earlier in the day, India’s third and fourth choice pacers — especially Mohammad Siraj and Shardul Thakur, were not able to maintain pressure put by Umesh Yadav (3/76) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/67) early in the England innings.
Umesh struck twice in the first hour of play to put England in a spot on 62/5. He got rid of both the overnight batsmen Craig Overton (1) and Dawid Malan (31) cheaply. But a counter-attacking stand between Bairstow and Pope took England to 139 for five at lunch. England scored 86 runs in the 25-over session.
Pope batted with supreme confidence in his first innings of the series. He will consider himself unfortunate to miss out on a hundred at his home ground as he dragged an outside delivery from Shardul onto the stumps.
England led India by 36 runs at the tea break. The first wicket of the session came through Siraj, who trapped Jonny Bairstow (37) with his stock ball — the nip backer — in the fifth over after lunch. That also brought an end to an entertaining 89-run stand between Bairstow and Pope.
Pope then got together with Moeen Ali (35) to give England the upper hand. The two shared a 71-run stand and before a well-set Moeen played a poor shot off Ravindra Jadeja to throw his wicket away. The attempted slog sweep went straight into the hands of the cover fielder.