Indian players celebrate the wicket of England captain Alastair Cook on Day 2 of the first Test at Trent Bridge.
© AP
India posted 457 with the help of a 111-run 10th wicket stand by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami on day 2 of the first Test vs England. England were 43/1 at stumps. Follow all the live updates and scores here. (Scorecentre)
The onus will be on India's four-pronged pace attack on Friday morning as nervy England aim to weather Nottingham's early morning conditions on Day 3 of the first Test at Trent Bridge.
India have been on top in this match so far. If Murali Vijay slammed a classy 146, his maiden Test century overseas, the icing on the cake on Thursday was a record 111-run 10th wicket stand between Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami that frustrated England's bowlers to no end. (Need to be patient to bowl England out twice: Bhuvneshwar) But there was more bad news for England and particularly, skipper Alastair Cook.
Cook's torrid form continued as England made a shaky start to their innings. England's under-pressure captain was bowled off his thigh pad for five as his side closed on 43-1 in reply to India's 457. Cook, whose team have lost six of their last seven Tests, has now scored only 606 runs in his last 13 Tests at an average of 24.24.
Trailing by 414 runs, England will look for a solid start from two promising batsmen Sam Robson (batting 20) and Gary Ballance (15 not out). Robson is a 25-year-old Sydney-born who has come through the ranks at Middlesex. He has a century already in the couple of Tests he has played. Zimbabwe-born Ballance, 24, shares a nickname - Gazza -- that former England football star Paul Gascoigne was known by. He too has a century in the three Tests he has played so far. Both batsmen would be looking to guzzle runs against an inspired Indian attack led by Ishant Sharma.
It was Shami who added the cherry on a wonderful day for India on Thursday. He sent back Cook, who looked nervous from the first ball. But Friday will be a new day and England have enough depth in their batting ranks to look India in the eye.
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