Joe Root drives the ball while scoring 92 not out vs India at The Oval.
© AFP
London: Joe Root passed fifty for the fifth time in the series to lift England to 385 for seven and a commanding lead of 237 runs at the close on the second day of the fifth Test against India at The Oval on Saturday. Day 3 on Sunday will be a battle for survival for MS Dhoni and Co. (Live Scorecard)
Sunil Gavaskar has said it all in an interview to NDTV on Saturday night. When a batting line-up with tremendous potential fails continuously, young fielders drop catches and bowlers get belted, even the staunchest India supporter feels hurt. Gavaskar reflects the mood of the Indian cricket fan, who is fast losing patience and belief on Team Dhoni's ability to perform overseas. The captain, of course, has been an exception, but individual performances don't win Test matches.
Alastair Cook made 79, Gary Ballance 64 and Jos Buttler 45 as England turned the screw after their four-pronged seam attack dismissed India for 148 on the first day. Root ended on 92 not out with Chris Jordan on 19 and England will look to add quick runs Sunday morning before attempting to bowl out India again to clinch the series which they lead 2-1.
said Ballance. "There's a bit of seam movement and if you bowl in good areas you can create chances. Hopefully, it will still do that tomorrow," he added. That's a warning for India's floundering top order batsmen.
The Indians have been extremely generous in this series. They have gifted wickets, dropped sitters and given width to the batsmen. Cook was dropped twice after the lunch on Day 2 before pushing at a wide ball from Varun Aaron and being well caught low down by Murali Vijay at first slip to end a second-wicket partnership of 125.
The expression says it all after Ajinkya Rahane drops a catch at The Oval.
© AP
These partnerships have been crucial for England's domination in the series. India's best batting in this Test has been a 10th wicket stand between Dhoni and Ishant Sharma. The lopsidedness of India's overall performance has been damning.
Where talented men like Kohli and Pujara have failed to handle the moving ball, Yorkshireman Root reached his half-century off 93 balls, including a six and two fours, to become the fourth England batsman to pass fifty in every Test of a five-match series.
Walter Hammond achieved the feat against South Africa in 1938-39, Peter May did likewise against the South Africans in 1955 and John Edrich made at least a half-century in each of six tests on the 1970-71 Ashes tour of Australia. Root and Jordan added 67 for the eighth wicket off 62 balls, the former hitting nine fours to move to the verge of his fifth Test century.
England deserve to win at the Oval. The odds, like most of the series, will be against India.
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