Ahmedabad: Cheteshwar Pujara’s brilliant 206 and a fine innings from Yuvraj Singh (74) helped India to 521/8 before MS Dhoni declared the first innings of the first Test against England at the Motera Stadium here today. England in reply were tottering at 41/3 at the end of the second day’s play.
Pujara who needed only two runs to complete his century reached the three figure mark very early in the morning hitting Stuart Broad for a single down at the fine leg. Yuvraj at the other end had a close escape early in the day against Graeme Swann but came back strongly to hit the off-spinner over the long-off boundary for a massive six.
Both Pujara and Yuvraj then got in the grove, with Yuvraj being more attacking with his stroke-play. He soon completed his half-century. At lunch India reached 410 with both Pujara and Yuvraj looking in ominous touch.
Yuvraj got out pretty quickly after the lunch interval hitting a Samit Patel full toss straight to Swann fielding at lond-on. Yuvraj in his innings of 74 hit six boundaries and two sixes.
Yuvraj’s wicket brought captain MS Dhoni on the crease, Indian captain struggled on the pitch but Pujara played nicely at the other end reaching 150.
Dhoni’s struggle came to an end when Swann bowled the Indian captain for his fifth wicket of the innings, Dhoni faced 37 deliveries for his five runs. R Ashwin has been in good batting form off late and he looked in good knick, he rotated the strike well against the spinners and together he and Pujara added 64 runs for the seventh wicket. Pietersen broke the partnership getting Ashwin caught behind.
Pujara who played sensibly throughout his innings completed his first double hundred oh his career. India eventually declared the innings at 521/8.
England batsmen had to negotiate a little over an hour and that reflected in their approach. Dhoni opened the innings with R Ashwin and both England batsmen, Alastair Cook and debutant Nick Compton played cautiously. Compton was extremely negative defending everything and not looking for runs at all. Cook was more positive compared to his partner and punished the lose deliveries.
Ashwin finally got his man, as he produced a beautiful delivery to rattle the stumps of the struggling Compton. England opted for James Anderson but the experiment didn’t work as he was caught out at short-leg of the boeling of Pragyan Ojha. Jonathan Trott being forced to come out to bat couldn’t even open his account as he too was caught at short-leg for Ashwin’s second wicket.
Cook (22) and Pietersen (6) were at the end of the second day.
Brief Score:
India: 521/8 decl. (Pujara 206*, Sehwag 117, Y Singh 74, Swann 5-144)
England: 41/3 (Cook 22*, Ashwin 2-21)
By Indian Sports News Network