England’s hopes of chasing down a staggering 399 to win the second Test were dwindling fast on the fourth morning as wickets tumbled in Visakhapatnam.
The tourists delivered on their promise to embrace all out attack as they pursued their highest ever fourth-innings target but reached lunch in deep trouble on 194 for six.
With 205 still needed and Ben Stokes the last recognised batter, England appeared to be all out of miracles as India’s bowlers flexed their muscles.
Zak Crawley was alone in getting to grips with the challenge, making an impressive 73 before falling just before the break, but Ollie Pope and Joe Root both paid the price for their ultra-aggressive approach.
England scored 127 runs in the session but the price tag of five wickets was too steep as the hosts closed in on a series levelling win.
Rehan Ahmed, promoted late on Sunday evening as England’s so-called ‘nighthawk’, was first down for 23 as he stayed back to an Axar Patel delivery that kept low and trapped him lbw.
His contribution was always likely to be a bonus and the arrival of Pope felt like the start of the real contest. He proceeded to stroke his first ball to the cover boundary, signalling his intent from the off.
Pope hit five boundaries in quick time, all off Patel, but the Surrey man was keeping the bowlers interested too. His rush for runs quickly caught up with him when he slashed at a good ball from Ashwin, who had Rohit Sharma to thank for a brilliant one-handed catch at slip.
Crawley was showing greater authority at the other end, converting his overnight score of 29 into a polished half-century. Twice he showed the full face of the bat and drove star seamer Jasprit Bumrah back down the ground and he used his long stride well to manufacture a half-volley off Patel.
Root is more than capable of that kind of control but his brief stay was little short of chaotic. Two of his first three balls went for four, a perfectly timed reverse sweep followed by a ricochet off the glove, and he charged down the pitch to belt Patel for six.
The next ball was perilously close to pinning him lbw, saved by the umpire’s call on DRS, and he was gone in Ashwin’s next over. Rather than relying on timing he threw the kitchen sink at a slog-sweep and sprayed a leading edge off the toe end.
He has been carrying a painful finger injury for the past 24 hours and it is hard to know much trouble that was causing. But it was, by any measure, a frazzled innings and took his series tally to 52 in four attempts.
Crawley now had the responsibility of making the big century England needed to stay alive but it was not to be. Mis-reading the wrist-spin of Kuldeep Yadav as he attack from a leg-stump line, he was given lbw after a smart review by Sharma.
That was more than enough to give Indian the upper hand but with the ball beginning to reverse swing, Bumrah had one more up his sleeve. Jonny Bairstow was the victim this time, lbw after being beaten by a sliver of seam movement in the last over before the break.
Louis and Athanaze lead West Indies recovery to close balanced opening day at 250-5
Mikyle Louis and Alick Athanaze came heartbreakingly close to maiden Test centuries but fell in the nineties as the West Indies closed the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh at 250-5 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. Their 140-run partnership for the fourth wicket proved pivotal, turning the momentum firmly in favor of the hosts after early struggles.
Louis, playing with patience and determination, was dismissed for 97 after spending 27 balls in the nineties. He charged at Bangladesh’s stand-in captain and spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz but was caught at slip by Shahadat Hossain. Athanaze, who had been steadily accelerating, fell three overs later for 90, edging Taijul Islam behind. It marked the second time in Athanaze’s brief Test career that he had been dismissed in the nineties.
The pair’s stand was the backbone of the West Indies innings, revitalizing the side after early setbacks. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite fell for 4, trapped lbw by Taskin Ahmed, and Keacy Carty departed soon after for a duck, caught at mid-on trying to flick Taskin. At 12-2, the West Indies were under pressure until Louis and Kavem Hodge steadied the ship.
Hodge, who made 25, was run out after a brilliant throw from Taijul Islam at long leg. His dismissal brought Athanaze to the crease, and together with Louis, he set about rebuilding and eventually dominating the Bangladesh bowling attack.
Louis reached his half-century with a straight drive off Taskin, showcasing his ability to punish loose deliveries amidst a largely cautious approach. Athanaze took a more aggressive route, particularly in the final session, finding the boundary with sweeps, reverse sweeps, and cuts as he raised the scoring rate.
Louis’s innings included nine boundaries and a six, while Athanaze struck 12 fours and a six. Their contrasting styles complemented each other, as they added 140 runs at a brisk pace, frustrating Bangladesh’s bowlers, who had earlier kept the scoring rate in check.
After their departures, Justin Greaves and Joshua Da Silva stabilized the innings against the second new ball. Greaves ended the day unbeaten, with Da Silva scoring freely in the closing overs before bad light and a drizzle brought an early end to proceedings after 84 overs.
Bangladesh’s bowlers struggled to capitalize on the early breakthroughs. Taskin Ahmed was the pick of the attack with figures of 2-46, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz (1-45) and Taijul Islam (1-56) provided moments of control but lacked consistency. The fielding unit also let opportunities slip, including a dropped catch off Louis when he was in the nineties.
The West Indies will resume on day two with five wickets in hand and an opportunity to push toward a commanding first-innings total. Bangladesh will look to capitalize on the breakthroughs late on day one and restrict the hosts in the morning session.
For the West Indies, the day belonged to Louis and Athanaze, whose near-centuries not only steadied the innings but also put the team in a strong position as they aim to set the tone in the series.
Starc hails 'fantastic bowler' Bumrah after day one in Perth
Australia seamer Mitchell Starc heaped praise on Jasprit Bumrah's performance on day one of their Test against India in Perth.
India struggled with the bat and finished their first innings on 150, with Rishabh Pant (37) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (41) helping them to improve on a poor start.
However, the tourists wrestled back control, leaving Australia on 67-7 at the close of play, thanks to Bumrah's inspired display.
On Friday, 17 wickets fell, the most on the opening day of a Test in Australia since 1952.
He finished on 4-17, leaving Australia 19-3 inside the seventh over as he took Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney and Steve Smith in quick succession.
Starc will start at the crease alongside Alex Carey on day two, and he was impressed by Bumrah's efficiency with the ball.
"So, there's no surprise that he's [Bumrah] been a fantastic bowler across the formats for a long time," Starc said.
"And again, his skills were on show [on Friday] as to how, how good he is. So, yeah, I'm sure there's something in that release point.
"That's significant to his action. It's something a lot of people can't do, so I'm not, I'm certainly not going to go and try it. I'll probably snap."
Archer back in IPL auction despite being left off the shortlist
Jofra Archer will be in the IPL auction after all, having been left off the shortlist initially.
The fast bowler was an entry on the longlist but did not appear among the names after it had been whittled down to 574 last week.
There had been no word from Archer as to why he had pulled out of the auction and re-entered, although the prospect of playing in the IPL in future could have been key.
According to new rules in the competition, a player will be ineligible to play in the IPL for two years if they do not enter the auction.
Archer has struggled with injury since 2020 and has carefully worked his way back from an elbow problem he suffered last year. Having been part of England's white-ball set-up since May, he has a desire to get back into Test cricket.
The 29-year-old has not played the longest form of the game in nearly four years and, if picked for the IPL, could find it harder to get back into it.
With the early rounds of the County Championship season clashing with the IPL, it could harm Archer's ability to prove his fitness and reduce his chances of playing in a home Test in 2025. Additionally, he could also find it difficult to force his way in for the Ashes in Australia next winter.
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