India end rain-shortened day two on 125-4, trailing by 58 runs; James Anderson leads England fightback with two wickets in two balls, including Virat Kohli first ball, and goes level with Anil Kumble on 619 Test wickets; watch day three from 10.15am, Friday on Sky Sports The Hundred
Thursday 5 August 2021 22:14, UK
James Anderson took two wickets in two balls, including India captain Virat Kohli for a golden duck, as England hit back on day two of the first Test.
Having bowled England out for 183 on day one at Trent Bridge, India worked themselves into a dominant position on the second morning thanks to a 97-run opening partnership between Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul.
However, Ollie Robinson (1-32) broke the stand on the stroke of lunch, Anderson (2-15) had Cheteshwar Pujara and then Kohli caught behind with consecutive deliveries early in the afternoon session, Ajinkya Rahane was run out and suddenly India were 112-4.
Anderson's two wickets took him to 619 Test wickets, joint-third with Anil Kumble on the all-time list, and but for a drop from Dom Sibley at second slip to reprieve Rahul (57no), he would have gone past the former India spinner.
With the rain clouds gathering overhead, the umpires took the players off for bad light before England were able to make any further inroads.
The rain duly followed and after two attempted restarts saw a combined three balls bowled, play was abandoned for the day at 5.35pm with India 125-4.
The tourists began the day on 21-0 and it took until the 24th ball of the day for them to add to their tally as Anderson and, in particular, Robinson started with real purpose.
England's bowlers were managing to match the impressive effort of their India counterparts on the opening day but a combination of some dogged defence from Rohit and Rahul and a lack of the necessary luck, the wickets were not forthcoming.
The India openers had to really grind out the runs in the first hour but having got through, the runs started to come a little more easily as lunch approached, which made Rohit's dismissal in the final over before the break all the more surprising.
Robinson had been brought have for another burst from the other end and caught Rohit out with a bouncer that the batsman instinctively hooked and sent the bail straight to Sam Curran at fine leg.
It was the boost that England needed and when they returned for the afternoon session, not only were they were rejuvenated but with leaden skies over the ground and the floodlights on, they also had the perfect conditions to assist the seamers.
Anderson took full advantage to snare perhaps the two most-prized scalps in the India line-up.
First to go was Pujara, undone by an excellent delivery from Anderson that shaped in before nipping away off the seam to find the outside edge through to Jos Buttler.
That brought Kohli to the crease and his battle with Anderson is always highly anticipated when these teams meet. On this occasion, it did not take long to find a winner.
Anderson was on the money with a full delivery in the channel just outside off, drawing Kohli in to play at a ball he might well have left and again finding the edge through to Buttler - the first time the England bowler has dismissed the India talisman since 2014.
The celebration was emphatic, and England were back in the game. They even received a helping hand from Rahane three overs later as the India vice-captain came charging down the pitch from the non-striker's end, looking for a single that was never on and allowing Jonny Bairstow to swoop in, a direct hit sealed the batsman's fate.
It could have been even better for England as Anderson got the better of Rahul, who had gone through to a 12th Test fifty, locating the edge once more but this time the chance was put down by Sibley, going low to his left at second slip.
England had the momentum although Rishabh Pant showed signs early in his innings that he was intent on changing that but with everything seemingly in place for a blockbuster afternoon of Test cricket, the gloom descended and the players were ushered off, much to the crowd's displeasure.
Twice, the umpires tried to get them back out but, on the first occasion, they managed just one ball before the rain arrived and only two on the second and final attempt.
Watch day three of the first Test between England and India at Trent Bridge from 10.15am, Thursday on Sky Sports The Hundred and Main Event.
