DAY 2 PREVIEW
Follow UsOn the back of a 222-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant, India ended day one with an advantage. From England’s perspective, the sixth wicket partnership haunted them again this summer. Despite losing early wickets, India have posted 338 runs at a run rate of 4.63, all thanks to Pant’s blazing innings of 146 from 111 balls.
As Jadeja looks for his ton, India hope to pile on as many runs as possible
While Pant was going ballistic at one end, Jadeja took a stand and played the role of second fiddle. In the over that Pant got to his fifth century, Jadeja reached his half-century as well.
Now, the left-hander is 17 runs away from his third ton in Tests and the first one away. India will be banking on Jadeja to not only get to his century but to bat as much as possible and take them close to 400. To achieve this, none better than Mohammed Shami could have accompanied him.
In Tests, Jadeja and Shami partnership has witnessed 260 runs in 13 innings at an average of 26.0. The last time these two batted together, they had forged an unbeaten 103-run partnership against Sri Lanka in Mohali. Then why not fancy going for 400? OH YES! In case you didn’t know, both of Shami’s half-century in Tests have come against England in England, including one in 2021.
The treacherous first session
In the English summer of 2022, this is the fourth Test being played. Interestingly, there has been a very familiar pattern in the four matches. The third session and the second session have been the best to bat on. However, the first session has been a nightmare for batsmen.
In the earlier series against New Zealand, the first session of the day had seen 36 wickets fall across the three matches at an average of 26.25 and a balls/wicket ratio of 46.6. Whereas, in the second and the third session, 41.7 and 44.6 runs were scored per wicket and, a wicket was lost every 68 and 73.3 balls respectively. To add to this, in Tests since 2016, teams have lost a wicket every 28 runs and 56.9 balls at Edgbaston, in this session.
Inconsistent top three and problems in second session of day 2
England’s top three have been a trouble for them for a long time, in specific, their openers.
The worst-hit player has been Zak Crawley. After his 267 against Pakistan in 2020, everything has gone south. In Tests since 2021, Crawley has averaged 18.5 with one century and two half-centuries in 32 innings. The biggest setback of his career has been his inability to carry through after a big innings. He scored 121 against West Indies in 2022 in the first Test. But, post that, in 10 innings, the batter has had two scores of 40+, one score of 25, and the rest have been single-digit scores.
On the other hand, his opening partner Alex Lees, has eight scores of 20+ in 12 innings so far, but has converted only one into a half-century.
The new number three for England, Ollie Pope, either went big or went unnoticed in the recent series against New Zealand. In six innings, he had one big score of 145, a crucial 82 and four scores of less than 20.
It is not only the openers that they have to worry about. England in home Tests since 2021, have had a very pale second session of day two. In the first session of day two, they lost a wicket every 36.1 runs and 62.9 balls. It gets better in the third session as the ratio goes up to 49.4 and 77.5. However, in the second session, they lost a wicket every 22.7 runs and 43.2 balls.
To emboss more, Indian bowlers in away conditions (all in similar conditions), have picked up a wicket every 26.1 runs and 49.6 balls in the second session of day two. Only in the second session of day five they have better ratios (12.1 & 26.4).
What’s the weather like?
When playing in England, how can we forget the weather? The forecast for Saturday in Birmingham is somewhat similar to how it was on Day One. An outbreak of showers in the noon session, followed by sunny spells in the evening session is expected.
