England Seize Control on Day 2 with Stokes’ Five-For and Explosive Opening Stand
England dominated Day 2 of the fourth Test in Manchester with a strong all-round performance, led by Ben Stokes’ five-wicket haul and a thrilling 166-run opening stand between Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett. The day began with India adding 94 runs to their overnight total, folding for 358, despite a valiant fifty from an injured Rishabh Pant.
Stokes was the star with the ball, registering his first five-for in nearly eight years. His spell included the key wickets of Washington Sundar and debutant Anshul Kamboj, and he broke a crucial 48-run stand between Sundar and Shardul Thakur. Jofra Archer also played his part, dismissing Ravindra Jadeja early in the morning and returning later to remove the dangerous Pant with a searing delivery that rattled the stumps. Pant, who returned to bat with a foot fracture, was warmly applauded as he hobbled to the crease and battled to a gritty 69-ball half-century before falling.
In response, England’s openers came out blazing. Duckett and Crawley punished India’s bowling, racing to 50 in just 11 overs and maintaining a high scoring rate throughout the afternoon. Duckett reached his fifty in just 46 balls and played elegant strokes through the off-side, while Crawley followed suit with a 73-ball half-century. Both batters feasted on inconsistent bowling, especially from debutant Kamboj and a wayward Siraj.
Ravindra Jadeja finally broke the stand by dismissing Crawley for 84, and Duckett soon followed for 94, nicking behind to give Kamboj his maiden Test wicket. However, England continued their dominance as Joe Root and Ollie Pope steered the team to 225/2 at stumps, scoring at an impressive rate of 4.89 runs per over.
With a deep batting lineup and momentum firmly on their side, England now trail by just 133 runs and have laid the foundation for a significant first-innings lead, putting India under pressure heading into Day 3.
