Time for me to leave the laptop, go for a walk and work out what the hell happened today. Thanks for your company, correspondence and expressions of bemused delight. India are still favourites to win this series, but they won’t be able to do it in a hurry. The two sides meet again in Visakhapatnam on Friday, when the OBO will be back around 3am GMT. Ali Martin’s match report from Hyderabad will be with you soon. For now, I leave you with a view of a famous victory that you could only get from the Guardian. See you next weekend.
What a game Test cricket is. Cut to the bone but still a different level to every other format. Its death is a paradigm of dumb consumerism. Money and margins tell you to make a worse product. At the end of which you have money, for a while, and a worse product for ever
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) January 28, 2024
“One of the things that people don’t really get yet,” says Mark Beadle, “is that this positive approach by England has an effect in the opposition’s mind as well, particularly over a long series. We saw some very skittish reactions from the Aussies after the first couple of Tests.” True. And this time England haven’t made the mistake of going 2-0 down. Today’s result, a narrow win after batting first, is what they would have managed in the first Test of the Ashes had it not been for that fine rearguard action from Pat Cummins.
“One of the most incredible Test matches since Headingley 1981,” says Colum Fordham. “And it had to happen at a city starting with H, Hyderabad, and with the helping hand of Hartley. Happiness!
“Almost time for some hooch to celebrate – actually some fine Italian wine. Hic!”
Andy Zaltzman, as well as being witty, is often wise.
One of the great days in Test cricket history, all round. Two genuinely amazing away wins, two 7-fors for Test rookies, Pope playing one of England's greatest innings.
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) January 28, 2024
“Tim,” says Jeroen van Esch, “your comparison is slightly off. Stokes doesn’t do draws, he consider them as losses! Recalculate please!” Ha.
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“I checked the odds half way through India’s first innings,” says James Taylor, “and England were around 40 to 1. Should have had more faith!”
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"Been up since 3am watching this,” says David Bertram. “How do you explain this sort of sport to a non-cricket fan?”
I’m rather hoping that’s a rhetorical question.
This was Ben Stokes’s 20th Test as England captain, and his first in India. He has now won 14 Tests and lost five, so his win-loss ratio is 2.8. Among England captains who have lasted for 20 Tests, that puts him second, behind only Mike Brearley, the guru’s guru.
Brearley captained England in 31 Tests across two spells, winning 18 and losing only four. But then he had some weakened opponents, because of the Kerry Packer schism, and never led England against West Indies, the most fearsome team at the time. Plus, he had Ian Botham in his pomp, whereas the only proper all-rounder Stokes has at his disposal is himself – and he isn’t fit to bowl.
The way Stokes conjured wickets in this game was right up there with Brearley. England’s motley collection of spinners – one rusty, two rookies and a Rooty – took 18 wickets between them. Their opposite numbers, including the great Ashwin and Jadeja, took only 14.
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Here’s the great Rob Smyth, armed with a sense of history. “The last time India and Australia lost simultaneous home Tests,” he reports, “was January 1977, to England and Pakistan respectively. They started on the same day (14 Jan) but finished on different days (18 and 19). The last time they lost at home in the same month was November 2012."
Three minutes later, he’s back with another email. “I’m 99.94 per cent sure it’s the first time India and Australia ever lost home Tests on the same day. The closest was those games in 1977. Both started on 14 Jan. Pakistan won in four days (plus a rest day) at Sydney; England won in five days (plus rest day) at Chennai.”
Correction! The player of the match is Ollie Pope after all. The cheque Tom Hartley collected a few minutes ago must have been for something else – best recovery from an embarrassing start to a Test career, perhaps.
Here’s Ben Stokes, introduced by Bhogle as “one of the most charismatic people” playing cricket today. Charisma does help a visiting captain in India, as Tony Greig showed in 1976-77. Asked where this game ranks among his triumphs as a captain, Stokes says: “Since I’ve taken the captaincy on, [given] where we are and who we’re playing against, it’s definitely, 100 per cent, our greatest victory. My first time coming out here and being captain in these conditions.”
And he’s not finished with the superlatives. What about Ollie Pope’s 196? “We’ve seen some special innings from Joe Root, but, for me, that was the greatest knock by an Englishman on the subcontinent.”
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And the player-of-the-match award goes to … Tom Hartley. Understandable, but shouldn’t it have been shared with Ollie Pope?
Rohit Sharma is talking to Harsha Bhogle. Asked to say what went wrong, he is generous in defeat: “Exceptional batting – Ollie Pope played a brilliant knock … one of the best I’ve seen in Indian conditions.” He doesn’t feel his bowlers did badly. “We didn’t take some chances with the bat, but it’s [only] the first game of the series.” There’s a subtle warning for England in those words, as they went 1-0 up last time they played a Test series in India, under Joe Root, only to lose 3-1.
No touring side had ever won a Test before in India after falling 100 behind on first innings. The previous record was set by Australia, who overcame a 65-run deficit back in 1964. England have stretched that to 190, so the record is not merely broken, it’s smashed to smithereens.
@TimdeLisle Two extraordinary matches, with incredible individual performances. At its best, Test cricket is unbeatable, a sport of infinite possibility and constant shifting of probability.
— Michael Hann (@MichaelAHann) January 28, 2024
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Another fine precedent.
One of England's greatest Test wins. Up there with Jamaica 1990, for me. A staggering performance.
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) January 28, 2024
All that was so exciting that I never gave the final score. Apologies!
India 202 all out (Siraj st Foakes b Hartley 12). England win by 28 runs and India fall to only their fourth defeat in the last 48 home Tests. It’s the greatest fightback ever by a visiting team in India – England were 190 behind on first innings. And it’s a reversal that could have come from Botham’s Ashes, except that England were playing at home then.
And here is the man of the moment, Tom Hartley, proudly wearing his England cap. The first thing he is asked could be a tough one for a northern Englishman – “Please flash your smile” – but he manages to oblige, a little shyly.
What was he thinking after the first innings? “This is hard work!”
What’s it like working with Ben Stokes? “There’s never a dull moment to be honest. I’m always looking round and thinking ‘is there a fielder who wasn’t there last ball?’. But we’ve all bought into it.”
Asked about his batting, which was also crucial to England’s win, Hartley says he was “really nervous” at first. “But getting a few runs always helps. It put my nervousness at ease and told me a few things about the pitch too.”
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A good point.
147 years of Test Cricket and two of the top ten most amazing matches finish within six hours of each other @TimdeLisle.
— Gary Naylor 85 (@garynaylor85) January 28, 2024
Tom Hartley finishes with seven for 62 off 26.2 overs. What a performance. Those are the best figures by an England spinner on Test debut since 1933, when James Langridge took seven for 56 against West Indies at Old Trafford. It’s a triumph for Hartley, for Ollie Pope whose magnum opus made it possible, for Ben Stokes who somehow squeezed 20 wickets out of a flimsy-looking attack, and for the England boss Rob Key, who plucked Hartley from nowhere and picked him because he was tall.
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Siraj couldn't resist going for a big hit. Hartley turned the ball past his outside edge and Foakes, who has appealed for about eight stumpings in the past few overs, finally gets one.
ENGLAND WIN BY 28 RUNS! HARTLEY HAS A SEVEN-FOR!
It’s a stumping! And England have a truly famous victory.
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Key event
69th over: India 202-9 (Bumrah 6, Siraj 12) Stokes takes Rehan off and brings back Mark Wood, who threatens to end the match – not with his bowling, but with his fielding. First he kicks the ball onto the batter’s stumps, a fine finish for a centre-forward, but not quite quick enough to bring a run-out. Then he uses his hand to flick a drive onto the non-striker’s stumps, only to find that Siraj has stayed in his crease. India need another 29, and these two have already added 25 off just 34 balls. One over to go!
After Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley becomes the third England spinner to claim a five-wicket haul on Test debut under Ben Stokes. Remarkable husbandry from the England captain
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) January 28, 2024
68th over: India 199-9 (Bumrah 5, Siraj 12) Siraj, facing Hartley, plays a slog-sweep for four! Then Foakes again thinks he’s got a stumping, but after several replays Marais Erasmus decides that Siraj’s back foot was just brushing the ground. Hartley, feeling the tension, bowls a no-ball. Siraj plays a flick into the leg side and takes on Stokes’s arm, which is bold, but he just scrambles back for two. The crowd are making a fabulous noise now, the sound of 20,000 people whooping in unison. India need another 32.
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67th over: India 191-9 (Bumrah 5, Siraj 5) Rehan continues, which is brave from Stokes as he no longer has many runs to play with. Bumrah, mostly befuddled, manages a slog for two. Foakes appeals for another stumping, again in vain. It’s all not happening.
66th over: India 189-9 (Bumrah 3, Siraj 5) Bumrah, facing the demon Hartley, tries to play a big pull, misses and then does a little dance of frustration. Foakes spots this, whips off the bails and appeals for a stumping. Bumrah’s foot is just back down on the ground. That would have been a fitting end to this improbable drama.
65th over: India 188-9 (Bumrah 2, Siraj 5) The floodlights are on and the rabbits are threatening to get caught in them. As Stokes feels confident enough to bring back Rehan, Siraj flails and edges, flamboyantly, but the ball eludes Ben Duckett at backward point. Just for good measure, Siraj does it again, with the same result. Rehan tries the googly, deceiving Siraj but also defeating Ben Foakes, who lets the ball through for four byes. India need another 43. England need one wicket.
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64th over: India 180-9 (Bumrah 2, Siraj 3) So India have nothing left up their sleeve bar their two rabbits. They may as well be positive and they are, helping themselves to five runs off the last four balls of Hartley’s over. But his figures (now 6-53) are the best by an Englishman on Test debut in India since another left-armer, John Lever, took 7-46 in 1976-77.
Ashwin suddenly changed his strategy, charging down the track in search of a big hit. All he managed was a big miss and a generous gift to Ben Foakes, who gleefully completed an easy stumping. Tom Hartley has six for 48. And it’s another little triumph for Ben Stokes, who had just decided to take the extra half-hour to press for a win tonight.
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WICKET! Ashwin st Foakes b Hartley 28 (India 177-9)
One brings two! And Hartley has a six-for!!
63rd over: India 177-8 (Ashwin 28, Bumrah 0) Root comes straight back, replacing Leach. It’s partly because Leach is creaking and partly because Root nabbed Bumrah in the first innings for a golden duck.
62nd over: India 176-8 (Ashwin 27, Bumrah 0) That was another fine bowling change from Stokes, who took Root off to give Hartley one more spell before the close. He even gave him two slips, who were standing so close together that they could hold hands if they’d felt like it. Bowlers need captains to show faith in them, and here that faith has been rewarded with a five-for from a bowler who was spanked all round the field on the first day.
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This was a beauty. The ball from Hartley was angled in, pitching on middle, maybe even middle-and-leg, and it turned sharply to hit the top of off. He may look like Christopher Cazenove, but he’s bowling like Monty Panesar at his peak.
WICKET!! Bharat b Hartley 28 (India 176-8)
The breakthrough! And a five-wicket haul, on debut, for Tom Hartley!
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Fifty partnership!
61st over: India 173-7 (Bharat 28, Ashwin 24) Rehan goes off, understandably, but his replacement, Jack Leach, is just as pricey. Perhaps stiff from that sore knee, he starts with a wide and then drops too short to Ashwin, who loves the cut and cashes in with a two and a four. Up comes the fifty partnership, now 54 in 20.4 overs, so these two have batted for a third of the innings. They’ve done so well, first steadying the ship, then grabbing the wheel. India need only 58 more.
“Being Australian,” says Rowan in Hobart, “I’ve never barracked for England before, but this has been a wonderful and inspiring performance by England in conditions that are pitch perfect for India (pun intended). And to add to my apparent confusion, I found myself incredibly pleased for the Windies and their fantastic fighting spirit – for such an inexperienced team as the current Windies group to beat Australia at home in a Test match is a sensational achievement.
Great contests are irresistible.”
60th over: India 164-7 (Bharat 27, Ashwin 17) Root returns in place of Hartley and the batters pick up three singles. It’s been noticeable all game that the Indians have treated England’s senior players with exaggerated respect, the new boys not so much (until Hartley demanded it with his stirring start to this innings). Makes you wonder what Jimmy’s figures might have been… 24-15-21-2, maybe.
“Hartley actor?” says David Cross, not wasting his words. “Christopher Cazenove?” Good call.
59th over: India 161-7 (Bharat 25, Ashwin 16) Rehan is making things happen, as advertised, but not in the manner Stokes was hoping for. He tosses one up and Bharat, out of his shell now, whacks it over mid-on for four. Bharat has scored 14 off 14 balls from Rehan, only 11 off 41 from everyone else. India need 70. It’s torture, in a glorious way.
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58th over: India 155-7 (Bharat 20, Ashwin 15) Suddenly the batters are living more dangerously. First there could be a run-out, if Pope’s throw was a better one, and then there’s another edge from Bharat from another failed attempt to leave the ball. It drops short of Root, who makes a fine stop by diving from slip to the vacant gully. Not for the first time, Bharat shows some resilience by following a narrow escape with an attacking shot, a thump for two to midwicket.
57th over: India 153-7 (Bharat 18, Ashwin 15) The home crowd have been getting noisier as the shadows lengthen and now they have something to cheer as Rehan drops short and Bharat cuts for four. That’s his first boundary off his 41st ball, and he picks up another one inadvertently as he tries to get out of the way of a lifter and gets a toe-end that flies over Root at slip. India need to make another 78. They couldn’t, could they?
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56th over: India 144-7 (Bharat 9, Ashwin 15) Hartley continues and keeps Ashwin honest with a maiden. But these two batters have quietly done very well, hanging in there for 15 overs, chipping out 25 runs and reducing the target to 87.
And here’s Colum Fordham, striking a cultured note. “Just been marvelling at the sculptural feats of Phydias in an exhibition,” he says, “but when I glanced at the OBO, my jaw dropped even further. Ye gods! By Athena, Zeus and Minerva, what a victory this would be for England! I can Hartley believe it. Sorry.”
55th over: India 144-7 (Bharat 9, Ashwin 15) Right on cue! Wood gives way to Rehan, a cricketer in Stokes’s own image – all-rounder, good fielder, strong character, makes things happen. He bowls one ball in this over that could easily take a wicket, an over-spinner (I think) that turns into a rip-snorter, almost a bouncer. Bharat does well to get his nose out of the way.
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54th over: India 143-7 (Bharat 9, Ashwin 14) Hartley lures Bharat into an edge, but his hands are soft and the ball falls short of Root at slip. As this partnership stretches to an hour or so, Stokes needs to do something. He may want to bring Rehan Ahmed back before it’s too late to risk him.
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53rd over: India 142-7 (Bharat 9, Ashwin 13) While we’re on the subject of unlikely roles, Wood seems to be England’s stock bowler. He bowls a maiden to Bharat and has now gone for just 14 in seven overs. India need another 89.
52nd over: India 142-7 (Bharat 9, Ashwin 13) Root gets a breather as Hartley returns. In the first innings, one of the commentators is saying, he had the most expensive figures from a Test debutant (25-0-131-2). I suspect that’s the most expensive for England, rather than for all-comers, but the point stands – in a spectacular transformation, Hartley now has a majestic 19-4-42-4. He may look like a posh English actor from the 1970s, but the role he has been cast in is a humble one: Cinderella.
51st over: India 140-7 (Bharat 9, Ashwin 11) Wood shows why he got the nod from Stokes by finding some reverse swing, but it’s fairly mild and Ashwin can handle it. A few minutes ago a caption informed us that when India do lose a home Test, the average spin is more pronounced than when they win. A Bunsen burner can turn even a modest spinner into a menace.
“Incredible performance by Shamar Joseph in the other Test,” says Simon Gates, “but didn’t Australia hand it to them with their first-innings declaration? I seem to remember England doing something similar recently...”
50th over: India 138-7 (Bharat 9, Ashwin 10) As the shadow of a large stand creeps towards the crease, Root bowls to Ashwin, one off-spinner to another. Five dots and then a two, cut past cover, to take Ashwin into double figures. He is a good enough batter to win this, but he will need sterling support from Bharat, with only Bumrah and Siraj to come.
“Evening Tim,” says Phil Withall, “from an oppressively humid Queensland. I woke this morning to the news that Tooting and Mitcham United had won 5-0 and Ipswich Town had been knocked out of the FA Cup by Maidstone. Then the Australians were magnificently beaten by an inspired West Indies performance. Now England are on the cusp of an unlikely victory. All I need to reach sporting nirvana is for Norwich to beat Liverpool in the early hours of tomorrow morning and I may well have had the greatest sporting day of my life.”
49th over: India 136-7 (Bharat 8, Ashwin 7) Stokes replaces Leach with Mark Wood, although he doesn’t give him a slip. Where is he expecting a wicket to come from? Maybe clean-bowled, with a yorker, or chipped to mid-off, with a cutter. Neither materialises, although Wood does keep the pressure on by allowing only two singles. India need 95. These two batters have steadied the ship, surviving for 8.4 overs so far, without bothering England too much.
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48th over: India 134-7 (Bharat 8, Ashwin 7) Root continues and goes up for a big appeal against Bharat. It was a good ball, and Bharat flirted with danger by playing no stroke, but Stokes decides against the review. He feels it was too high and he’s right. The pitch may be a turner, and two-paced, but it’s not dead. Bharat bites back with a slog for two into the wide open spaces beyond midwicket, where the ball is collected by the sub fielder, Jimmy Anderson. Remember him?
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Drinks! England in charge (whisper it)
At drinks England’s ropey attack are right on top, with four wickets in the hour since tea – one of them a sensational run-out from Ben Stokes, who has juggled his resources in masterful fashion. Can he finish the job? Can India really lose a home Test for only the fourth time in the last 47? Time will tell. England could win it this evening, whereas India need to take the game into the fifth day.
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47th over: India 131-7 (Bharat 5, Ashwin 7) Leach drops short and Ashwin rocks back to cut for four. That’s the first boundary for 54 balls and only the second off the bat in 20 overs. India need exactly 100.
“Have just come home from walking the dog,” says Diana Luther Powell, “to see this bemusing scorecard. Ashwin – well, we all know what he can do … I can always take the dog out again!” Ha. So you don’t take the phone with you on the dog walk?
46th over: India 125-7 (Bharat 4, Ashwin 2) Stokes gives Hartley a breather. With the batter just trying to survive, this could be the moment to recall Rehan Ahmed, who bowled one over for 13 earlier. But Stokes, who does sometimes play it safe, brings back Root, the man he trusted with the new ball today. He concedes a couple of singles.
45th over: India 123-7 (Bharat 3, Ashwin 1) Leach almost gets through Ashwin with a dart that only turns a little, Axar-style, but Ashwin is going right back and he just has time to jab the bat down on it. India need another 108.
“If England see this through today, after trailing by 190 on first innings,” says Simon McMahon, “it’ll be up there with the great Test victories. That would make two of them on the same day, after events in Brisbane earlier. Now, can Manchester United Newport County make it a hat-trick of underdog upsets in the FA Cup later?” Ha.
44th over: India 122-7 (Bharat 2, Ashwin 1) Another over of five dots and a single, from Hartley this time. And here’s Richard Sandall with a question for you. “Who else gets up in the morning,” he wonders, “and does a one-hand squinty poke to get to page 1 of the OBO without seeing the score? Real jeopardy, accelerated. And joyful this morning!”
43rd over: India 121-7 (Bharat 1, Ashwin 1) Leach, playing through the pain of a bruised knee, keeps the pressure on with an over that goes for just a single. He’s bowled seven overs in the innings now, finding plenty of turn and taking one for 17. “This team,” says Kevin Pietersen, “is so together.”
42nd over: India 120-7 (Bharat 0, Ashwin 1) Stokes gets something wrong now as Hartley and Foakes persuade him to review for caught behind against Ashwin. The ump shook his head and UltraEdge backs him up, showing no spike as Ashwin attempts a sweep, so England lose a review.
41st over: India 120-7 (Bharat 0, Ashwin 1) Not content with pulling off an inspired run-out, Stokes continues to switch his bowlers craftily. An attack that looked unspeakable at the start of the match – one seamer, one rusty spinner, two rookies and a Rooty – is looking unplayable now.
“If I’m honest,” says Will Vignoles, “this has already slightly exceeded my expectation for the tour given the horror show last time out. If England do win, will people finally accept that maybe Stokes and McCullum know a bit about what they’re doing?
“Also what a performance from the West Indies, wrapped up to one of nature’s great sounds – Ian Smith going berserk.” Ha.
Stokes replaced Root with Leach – and off his second ball, Leach persuaded Shreyas to guide the ball straight into Root’s hands at slip! For an attacking batter, that was rather a tame dismissal. India need 112; England need just three wickets.
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WICKET! Shreyas c Root b Leach 13 (India 119-7)
Another one!
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40th over: India 119-6 (Shreyas 13, Bharat 0) Jadeja went off feeling his hamstring, which could be even worse news for India, adding injury to insult. And his dismissal means that India have only one experienced batter left, in Ashwin. Surprisingly, they don’t send him out now, so for the moment India’s fate is in the hands of two relative novices, Shreyas in his 13th Test and Srikar Bharat in his sixth. Mind you, they are facing a fellow rookie in Tom Hartley, who bowls a maiden to Bharat, finding plenty of turn. He has the figures of his dreams: 16-3-40-4.
39th over: India 119-6 (Shreyas 13, Bharat 0) Jadeja is a fast runner, but he hadn’t bargained for Stokes’s quick thinking. And the backhand was as good as anything you’ll see at the Rod Laver Arena, homing in on the base of the nearest stump.
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Jadeja, facing Root, played his most confident shot so far, a wristy on-drive. It went straight to mid-on, where Stokes not only gathered it cleanly but flicked it, backhand, and scored a direct hit. Fabulous stuff.
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WICKET!! Jadeja run out (Stokes) 2 (India 119-6)
A stroke of genius from Stokes!
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38th over: India 119-5 (Shreyas 13, Jadeja 2) Shreyas’s attacking mindset pays off as Hartley lets the ball slip, bowls a full toss and gets whipped through midwicket for four. That’s the first boundary off the bat for 11 overs, such has been England’s control.
37th over: India 115-5 (Shreyas 9, Jadeja 2) For a moment Root thinks he’s got Shreyas as the ball flies off the glove (or something) towards backward short leg, but for once Ollie Pope proves fallible and he can only tip it over the bar. India need another 116. On WinViz, England are now being given a 65pc chance of a win.
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36th over: India 112-5 (Shreyas 7, Jadeja 1) Shreyas, facing Hartley, plays a flamboyant stroke, a wristy whip from outside off to square leg, but only gets a single for it. “Good rhythm now for Hartley,” says Ravi Shastri, who knows a bit about bowling slow left-arm on turning pitches. Hartley responds by rapping Jadeja on the pad. England think hard about asking for a review, so hard that they run out of time. It would have been wasted, as the ball was turning too sharply to hit the leg stump.
35th over: India 109-5 (Shreyas 5, Jadeja 0) Shreyas is itching to attack, stepping away to give himself room on the off – but Root sees him going and stops in his delivery stride. When Shreyas takes a single, Root attacks Jadeja, drawing a thick edge, well played with soft hands so it goes too low for a slip catch, and then beating the bat with a shooter. Root is really enjoying his new role as a bowler who bats a bit.
34th over: India 108-5 (Shreyas 4, Jadeja 0) Hartley, despite being cruelly deprived of the chance to take all ten wickets, keeps the pressure on. He again finds that spot where the ball just dies on the batter, but again it’s outside off stump and the person who is most tested by it is Ben Foakes, or, as we now think of him, Ben BeeGee.
33rd over: India 107-5 (Shreyas 3, Jadeja 0) That was the wicket England most wanted, because Rahul was the last senior specialist batter and he had made that commanding 86 in the first innings. It’s a triumph for Joe Root – his fifth wicket in the match – and a bonus for Stokes, who now has two new batters to torment.
“Damn damn damn,” says Mark Kelly. “I have hope! I promised myself I wouldn’t get sucked in, and yet here I am again.”
WICKET! Rahul lbw b Root 22 (India 107-5)
Three reds! Pitching in line, straightening from round the wicket, hitting the top of middle-and-leg.
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WICKET?! Rahul given lbw b Root 22
This could be huge. But Rahul reviews …
32nd over: India 102-4 (Rahul 22, Shreyas 2) This may be Hartley’s best over so far, and he has nothing to show for it. He beats Shreyas with a beauty, then bamboozles Rahul with a shooter that shoots away for four byes. That was almost as unplayable as the ball that dismissed Hartley himself, from Ravichandran Ashwin. India need 129.
31st over: India 97-4 (Rahul 22, Shreyas 1) The bowler Stokes most likes to pair with Hartley is Joe Root, because he’s an off-spinner, and because he’s been very reliable in this match. His first over after tea goes for two singles as KL Rahul strolls serenely on. His is the wicket England most need.
30th over: India 95-4 (Rahul 21, Shreyas 0) Shreyas Iyer, who was demoted so that India could have a right-hand-left-hand combination, comes in at no.6 as a question hovers in the warm air of Hyderabad. Are England slight favourites again?
Hartley does it again, and so does Stokes. Restored to the end where he nabbed the top three, Hartley lured Axar into a loose drive and took a neat low catch. The man whose first spell in Test cricket went horribly wrong has bounced back with four for 31 from 11 overs. And he batted well in both innings too.
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WICKET! Axar c&b Hartley 17 (India 95-4)
Another one for Tom Hartley!
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A couple of stats for you. If India make it to 231, it will be the fifth-highest successful chase in a Test on Indian soil. And Ollie Pope’s 196 is fourth on the all-time list for England in India, behind only Joe Root, Mike Gatting and Graeme (Foxy) Fowler. It wasn’t quite Pope’s highest Test score as he made 205 against Ireland last summer, but it was easily his best.
“What a day for Test cricket,” says Krish Krishnamoorthy. “Am still reeling from the Joseph storm after the Pope calm and Hartley is hurtling. All this before Sinner has even entered the Rod Laver Arena. One helluva Sunday it is.”
Yes! And Man United going to Newport County. Banana skins wherever you look.
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How are the mighty falling
In Hyderabad, we could have an upset coming. In Brisbane, they’ve already got one.
Teatime entertainment. “There was some banter on here the other day about Hartley looking like some famous figure from the popular entertainment of yesteryear, to which I wasn’t able to contribute,” says Ewan Glenton. “But since he’s the headline act so far today I’m going to slot this in anyway… Speaking of resemblances, another useful knock from Foakes yesterday; given that Ben’s a dead ringer for Barry Gibb (and is even, I see, more or less the same height), if, in addition to keeping wicket and batting, his skill set includes singing falsetto, he should be a shoo-in for the role whenever it comes to casting for a biopic of the Bee Gees superstar.” Bear with him – it gets better.
“Foakes can continue to show us he’s More Than A Wicketkeeper, answering question ls like How Deep Is Your Batting Line-Up and making sure a couple of middle-order wickets don’t always lead to a Chain Reaction by Stayin’ Alive for a while at the crease; he’s already helped to avoid a Hyderabad Batting Disaster 2024; and he’s capable both of keeping the scoreboard ticking over and, when required, of batting prudently, perhaps giving sage advice to his gung-ho Bazball partners by saying ‘we can take forever, just an over at a time’.
“If it goes too far the other way though and a teammate gets bogged down, he could be on hand to say ‘You Should Be Chancing your arm a bit more’, or Words to that effect… And of course his keeping is nifty enough to pull off a good few stumpings, ensuring there are a fair few opposition batters For Whom The Bail Falls (as for catching, he gets low and he gets high). It must be frustrating for him, to get picked for being an elite keeper and a more than competent number 7 bat, rarely fail to live up to expectations, but keep on getting dropped anyway; he must sometimes feel like asking the England selectors why they have to be Heartbreakers… when he was being what they want him to be.”
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Tea! And it's 50-50
29th over: India 95-3 (Rahul 21, Axar 17) No sooner has Stokes brought Rehan on than he takes him off again. Back comes Root, bearing parsimony. He goes round the wicket to Rahul, bowls six dots, and that’s tea, with India fighting back after Tom Hartley’s finest hour. On WinViz it’s now 55-45 to India; on the less scientific TimViz, it’s 50-50, because the fourth innings can do funny things. India need 136 more and their hopes rest on KL Rahul, who has calmly added 21 not out to his 86 in the first innings. England’s hopes rest on Ben Stokes, and his extraordinary knack of conjuring wickets at unlikely moments from unfancied bowlers. Time for some more toast.
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28th over: India 95-3 (Rahul 21, Axar 17) Another stingy over from Wood, still going mostly full with the odd short one. This spell has only gone for two runs off three overs. The cameras keep finding England supporters fast asleep. If you can’t keep awake for this, you really shouldn’t be there.
Here’s Matt Dunnill. “What a brilliant day to be on the OBO! (They all are in their own way but today feels special). One of your esteemed correspondents yesterday proclaimed Test cricket to be the best version of ant sport in the world. (Spoiler alert, it was me.)
“It’s only January and I’ve already used my quota of being right about something for the year, although if I’m honest, I did say to my mate Bilaal that Hartley was a one-Test wonder so I’ll happily gobble up some humble pie for breakfast there. Cricket eh? Bloody hell.”
27th over: India 94-3 (Rahul 20, Axar 17) Eoin Morgan, on commentary, was saying just now that he’d like to see Stokes bring on Rehan Ahmed. And here he is, which feels like a risk, but Morgan reckons it’s canny as the situation allows Rehan to bowl a bad over without costing England too much. That bad over comes along right away – two overpitched balls, which Axar drives for four, and then a long hop, pulled for four more. The pull whistles just past Ollie Pope’s left ear, which may be the first moment of discomfort he’s had all day.
26th over: India 81-3 (Rahul 19, Axar 5) Wood, racing in like a small boy, bowls a bouncer to Axar Patel that barely carries through to Ben Foakes. That’s how slow this pitch is, though it is a bit two-paced. Understandably, Wood follows that with two full deliveries – a failed yorker that turns into a full toss, and a better ball that pitches close to the crease. A frontline batter might have hit both for four, but Axar can’t find the gaps. That’s a maiden, Wood’s second of the match.
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25th over: India 81-3 (Rahul 19, Axar 5) Rahul, facing Hartley, decides the best form of defence is attack. He plays a paddle-sweep, past short fine, and then a full-blooded sweep, to long leg’s right. Mind you, the last person to play a pair of sweeps soon perished. India need 150.
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24th over: India 73-3 (Rahul 11, Axar 5) Wood has had a thin time of it so far: earlier today he added a duck to a score of 11, after his none for 47 with the ball. But he did have a catch dropped in his first over of this innings, drawing a sharp nick from Rohit that Zak Crawley couldn’t hang onto. I suspect Stokes fancies him to rattle Axar, though it doesn’t happen instantly. After a nudge for a single by KL Rahul, Axar plays out five dots securely enough.
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23rd over: India 72-3 (Rahul 10, Axar 5) Hartley’s on at the other end, where his first over passes without incident. Stokes, one step ahead again, is lining up Mark Wood. Six wickets have fallen to seam in the match, none of them to England – in fact all of them to Jasprit Bumrah.
22nd over: India 70-3 (Rahul 9, Axar 4) Root continues and just for a change, there are three singles. “Sensible stuff from Axar Patel,” murmurs one of the commentators. Yes, but it’s been sensational stuff from Tom Hartley, who has career-best figures – 8-1-21-3 – and is about to bowl again now.
21st over: India 67-3 (Rahul 8, Axar 2) Leach again goes for a couple of singles. “Ben Stokes can control the game now,” says Ravi Shastri, “now that Rohit has gone.” Whisper it, but WinViz reckons England are on top: it gives them a 59pc chance of a win, to India’s 41.
20th over: India 65-3 (Rahul 7, Axar 1) Ben Stokes does love to get batters out with rookie spinners. Last winter it was Rehan Ahmed and Will Jacks, now it’s Tom Hartley. One way he does it is by being very proactive, making changes before you expect them, giving the batters the impressions that he is one step ahead. Now he takes Hartley off and brings back Joe Root, whose arm ball bamboozles Axar and very nearly takes the edge. Rooty’s not a rookie, but he is rusty – or was before the first innings, when Stokes squeezed four wickets out of him.
19th over: India 65-3 (Rahul 7, Axar 1) A better over from Leach, now playing second fiddle and conceding just two singles. India need another 166.
18th over: India 63-3 (Rahul 6, Axar 0) So Hartley, on debut, has removed India’s top three – after being pulverised by them on the first day. And now India spring a surprise by sending Axar Patel in several places higher than usual. Well, he is the Indian Tom Hartley.
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WICKET!! Rohit lbw b Hartley 39 (India 63-3)
Three reds! Hartley didn’t turn the ball as much as expected, and that’s his third and biggest wicket of this innings. It’s a huge moment: the first two wickets were impressive, but they were both young batters.
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WICKET!!? Rohit given lbw b Hartley 39
Given! This looks plumb, but Rohit reviews…
17th over: India 63-2 (Rohit 39, Rahul 6) Thanks Jim, what a shift. Leach continues and Rohit continues with his aggression, hitting consecutive fours with the reverse-sweep, ungainly but effective. In a way, that’s another little win for England: things are so tight that Rohit is sacrificing his usual elegance.
16th over: India 53-2 (Sharma 30, Rahul 5) Rohit is the danger man for England’s hopes of victory. It’s obvious but it is true. Hartley beats him on the outside edge but you can’t keep Rohit down – a powerful sweep brings four and the India fifty.
That’s me done for the day. What a morning of Test cricket. Thanks for all your emails, apologies I couldn’t get to them all. I’m off for a lie down. Tim de Lisle is here to take you through the next few hours.
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15th over: India 48-2 (Sharma 26, Rahul 4) Jack Leach sends down a maiden, he looks in good fettle despite the injury, fizzing one past the edge of Rohit’s blade.
14th over: India 48-2 (Sharma 26, Rahul 4) Hartley drops short and is punished by KL Rahul who rocks back and scythes for four through the off side.
13th over: India 43-2 (Sharma 24, Rahul 0) Jack Leach is coming on to bowl. England have close catchers in place and are very much on the attack. Tidy start from Leach who is moving a bit gingerly on that bruised knee. Just a Rohit single nudged off it.
I’m going to keep posting it:
Cricket rules pic.twitter.com/4t0nME1rxR
— James Dart (@James_Dart) January 28, 2024
And plugging this, Shamar Joseph’s story is incredible and he’s just pulled off the most insane heist at the Gabba.
Here’s a kid from the tiny remote village of Baracara in deepest Guyana, its population of about 350 people were isolated from much of the wider world until five years ago when mobile and internet coverage arrived. As a child, Joseph had happened upon some footage of Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh doing their thing on a black and white TV and it changed his life.
Not right away of course, but the game had him in its clutches. Anyone who has ever tossed themselves an apple from the fruit bowl and imagined that they’ve just held a skier at the SCG or spun a nectarine from one hand to the other a la Shane Warne at the top of his mark will recognise what came next. Joseph bowled with anything he could get his hands on. At first this was lemons, limes and guava, later it was ad hoc games with a ball made of tightly wound tape.”
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Just look at this won’t you:
The brutal nature of Test cricket means upsets are incredibly rare.
— Tim Wigmore (@timwig) January 28, 2024
This West Indies win in Australia, with several players missing - their first against Australia for 21 years - is up there with the great shocks https://t.co/qR0UHfGLxm
12th over: India 42-2 (Sharma 24) England are flying in Hyderabad and SHAMAR JOSEPH IS SOARING IN BRISBANE!! What a moment. What a story. I’m bleary eyed and beaming on my sofa.
WEST INDIES WIN THEIR FIRST MEN'S TEST IN AUSTRALIA SINCE 1997! https://t.co/YMnxbxJiRm | #AUSvWI pic.twitter.com/9A1RRfleas
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) January 28, 2024
WICKET! Gill c Pope b Hartley 0 (India 42-2)
You can’t keep Ollie Pope out of this game! Gill is caught off the face of the bat at silly point!
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WICKET! Jaiswal c Pope b Hartley 15 (India 42-1)
England have their first and they really needed it. Serene progress so far from India’s openers until Hartley gets one to pop off a length as Jaiswal looks to come down the wicket. Ollie Pope takes a sharp catch at short leg. Game on!
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11th over: India 38-0 (Sharma 22, Jaiswal 10) Three runs nurdled off Joe Root.
I must confess to having more than half an eye on events in Brisbane. Can you blame me?!
WHAT! pic.twitter.com/8Ub5jHvL78
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 28, 2024
10th over: India 35-0 (Sharma 22, Jaiswal 10) On the plus side for England, Tom Hartley has been a lot more settled so far. He spins one back into Rohit’s pads but the appeal is stifled as it pitched outside leg. Rohit and Jaiswal rotate to pocket three off the over.
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West Indies one wicket away in Brisbane!
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9th over: India 32-0 (Sharma 22, Jaiswal 9) Gah. Joe Root is feeling the pressure of leading the attack a bit here, another full toss is pounced upon by Rohit and pulverised wide of mid off. Leach’s injury being felt keenly already.
8th over: India 27-0 (Sharma 18, Jaiswal 8) Ooof. Hartley gets one to scuttle along the deck but it is safely wide of off stump. One of those goes straight on and you are a goner, doesn’t matter if you’re Rohit, Root or Roland Rivron. India continue with relative ease – two singles gathered.
7th over: India 25-0 (Sharma 17, Jaiswal 7) Root rattles through his over, Rohit knocks a single to mid on. Just that single off it.
The action will be back underway in Brisbane shortly:
2 wkts plays 29 runs with Smith & Lyon at the crease for the World Test Champions. Shamar Joseph with a 6 wkt haul and a big old limp. Get yourself around a TV or radio #AusvWI https://t.co/rChE0kS48m
— Alison Mitchell (@AlisonMitchell) January 28, 2024
6th over: India 24-0 (Sharma 16, Jaiswal 7) Hartley curves one into Jaiswal and it thuds into the front pad below the knee roll – England appeal en masse and like the look of it. Umpire Chris Gaffaney is unmoved so they send it upstairs. NOT OUT – and worse for England – missing leg so they burn a review. Hartley already looking more at ease than in the first innings.
5th over: India 22-0 (Sharma 15, Jaiswal 6) Root is too straight and swept away powerfully with little risk by Jaiswal. A single back past the bowler makes it five off the over. Strong start by India.
England fans waking up this morning..#BBCCricket #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/eDBhS1aDyN
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) January 28, 2024
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4th over: India 15-0 (Sharma 14, Jaiswal 0) Wood is whipped out of the attack after just one over despite having Rohit shelled by Crawley in his last. Tom Hartley is over the wicket. Rohit chips for a single and Jaiswal is off the mark with a drive down to mid-on.
Our man in Hyderbabad is Ali Martin – he pings through an official update from the ECB on Leach’s injury:
“Jack Leach has a haematoma (bruising) of the left knee sustained fielding on day one and two. He has been receiving treatment from the medical team. He will be on the field for the start of the fourth innings and is fit to bowl.”
Ali notes with a chuckle that one of the possible course of treatment for a haematoma is the use of… Leeches. I ping him this classic back. It’s a bit of fun.
3rd over: India 15-0 (Sharma 14, Jaiswal 0) Root serves up a couple of full bungers – the first he gets away with as Rohit picks out Stokes at cover… the second he isn’t so lucky and is driven away for four. England have an in/out field. Knowing they need to attack to take wickets but also trying to protect the boundaries and build pressure. BIG APPEAL! Root gets on to straighten but Umpire Paul Reiffel is unmoved. Stokes decides against a review and wisely s0 – it was just sliding past leg stump.
2nd over: India 10-0 (Sharma 9, Jaiswal 0) Rohit waits for Mark Wood and steers his very first ball wide of gully for four! DROP! Tough chance as it went very low and fast but Zak Crawley can’t cling on at first slip! Wood has his head in his hands, that would have been a seismic moment. Great seam position and pace from Wood as he zips one across India’s skipper and takes the edge. There’s plenty in the wicket for England – Wood gets bounce and has Rohit fending away for a single before the last ball skids through at shin height.
1st over: India 1-0 (Sharma 1, Jaiswal 0) Root is accurate and skidding the ball off the surface. Yikes. Turn and bounce off the final ball has England hopping with hope. Jaiswal does well to let it go past his gloves. Mark Wood is going to have a burst with the new ball. A couple of early wickets would really get things bubbling.
Here we go then, the players emerge after lunch. Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal to open up for India. Joe Root is going to start with the ball for England. 231 runs plays ten wickets. Let’s play.
The Nut is cracked but not broken…
England have confirmed that Jack Leach will take the field and is fit to bowl. He's been receiving treatment for a bruised left knee.
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) January 28, 2024
“Morning James”
Hello Adam Levine.
“My relationship with Bazball is like Sylvio Dante (Little Stevie van Zandt) doing his best Al Pacino impression in The Sopranos: “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!”
*Caution – some fruity language in this to have with your muesli:
That’s lunch in Hyderabad. Over in Brisbane, there’s a real story unfolding. Shamar Joseph and West Indies are at the centre of it. Rob Smyth is calling that one in his inimitable style. You’d be daft not to join him for the next fifteen minutes:
Pat Cummins has been dismissed on the stroke of lunch. He jumped back in his crease and edged Shamar Joseph to the right of Joshua da Silva, who dived to take a fine catch. Shamar Joseph has taken six wickets in a single spell, with a knackered toe.
Hang on, it should be lunch – but Kraigg Brathwaite has claimed the extra 15 minutes. That’s good captaincy because Shamar Joseph is in the middle of the mother, father and extended family of all bowling spells.”
This has been one of the best test matches I’ve been privileged to witness.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) January 28, 2024
England all out for 420!
Pope is bowled by Bumrah for 196! Attempting a reverse scoop too. The shot has been a feature of this remarkable innings but Pope misses this time and the off stump is torn from the turf. One of the great Test innings by a visiting Test batter in India comes to an end. Rohit Sharma and the India players shake Pope’s hand and pat him on the back as he leaves the field, a bashful and very weary grin on his face. Well played that man.
An extraordinary innings comes to an end.
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) January 28, 2024
Take a bow, Ollie Pope 👏👏#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/PgUPZVGvhN
India require 231 to win. Do not adjust your set.
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WICKET! Wood c Bharat b Jadeja 0 (England 420-9)
Wood nicks Jadeja behind and just like that England are nine down.
101st over: England 419-8 (Pope 195, Wood 0) That really was a shooter from Ashwin, not much the batter could do about that. A fine innings comes to and end, well played Tom Hartley. He’ll have a chance to make his mark with the ball shortly.
Mark Wood is the new batter, some long handled humpty from him could really get India worried.
“Hey Jimbo! Glad tidings from Brooklyn!”
Hey, Paul – I’m bloggin’ here! (Apologies)
Plenty of tea-pots in the fieldIs.This.Actually.Happening? Coming off a Covid bout with deep sleep hallucinations so looking for third party affirmation that we *could actually win this*?”
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WICKET! Hartley b Ashwin 34 (England 419-8)
Bad news for England: Ashwin bowls Tom Hartley for 34.
Good news for England: He did so with a ball that skidded on and shot along the deck.
Updated
100th over: England 419-7 (Pope 195, Hartley 33) England have kept India in the field for 100 overs now. Axar Patel into the attack for the first time this morning… Pope greets him with a sparkling cover drive for four. He’s onto 195. We’re witnessing an all time Test innings here. Two more singles take England’s lead to 229 runs.
99th over: England 412-7 (Pope 191, Hartley 33) A maiden for Siraj as India get some respite for six balls.
California’s Stephen Dobber sends a wire across the pond.
“If Shamar Joseph can bowl Australia out with a busted toe, maybe Jack Leach can hobble through some overs with his gammy knee and take a five for!?!”
IT IS ON IN BRISBANE:
2 incredible games of Test cricket unfolding at the same time but I think I speak for everyone when I say I’m looking forward to the 94 match, 3.5 month season of the IPL in 2027
— Ian Higgins (@1an_Higgins) January 28, 2024
98th over: England 412-7 (Pope 191, Hartley 33) Tom Hartley is playing a little corker of an innings here, taking some of the burden off a tiring Pope and picking up runs regularly. The partnership between this pair approaches seventy runs. The Lancashire lad drops to his haunches and reverse-sweeps Ashwin for four!
97th over: England 401-7 (Pope 189, Hartley 28) Tom Hartley climbs into a Siraj short ball and picks up a boundary at the midwicket fence. A deafening hush falls over Hyderabad save for a few visiting fans.
“Do mine eyes deceive me?” Writes Dean Kinsella. “A 200 lead and Pope still with power to add? He’ll be pulling swords from stones next. I certainly did not expect to see that on awakening this morning! Is it really on? Can Albion truly pull this off?”
A quick reminder – India have only lost three Test matches at home in their last 46… But by jove there is a chance we might see something truly remarkable over the next day or so. A chance.
96th over: England 401-7 (Pope 189, Hartley 24) FOUR HUNDRED UP FOR ENGLAND! It’s been TWELVE years since a side has scored over 400 in a Test match in the fourth innings against India. Remember that tour? Four runs off Ashwin’s over collected with relative ease. India are still reeling from the KL Rahul drop off the last over. England’s lead is up to 211. No, you stop it.
95th over: England 397-7 (Pope 187, Hartley 22) Shot! Pope scorches a length ball from Siraj down the ground for four. Taking a step out to turn the length ball into a half volley. Imperious. DROP! KL Rahul shells Pope in the slips! Easy chance, well regulation. A back cut finds the edge and goes straight to KL who snatches at it. Head in hands for India. Are they starting to get worried? Are they? Siraj is ticking – he whangs down a short ball and gives Tom Hartley plenty of verbals for after. The crowd jeer, great drama in Hyderabad.
94th over: England 390-7 (Pope 180, Hartley 22) Ashwin to continue after the short break. England take the lead past 200 with a single each to Pope and Hartley.
Meanwhile – over in Brisbane there’s potentially a big shock in the offing. West Indies have taken a couple of quick wickets to reduce Australia to 124-4, the home side still needing 91 more runs to win. That man - Shamar Joseph - has just taken two wickets in two balls, he’s got quite the story:
93rd over: England 388-7 (Pope 179, Hartley 21) Siraj comes into the attack for a bit of fire and brimstone, India need to break this partnership. Leach’s injury is such a shame and a huge blow to England’s chances of pulling off an incredible win but a target of over 200 is still going to be a challenge on a wearing pitch. All that’s to come. For now, Pope punches for two and Hartley takes a single past point.
DRINKS. England’s morning so far – 70 runs added for the loss of one wicket (Rehan Ahmed).
This is now England's third highest 2nd innings in India, after Ahmedabad 2012 and Kanpur 1961.
— Rory Dollard (@thervd) January 28, 2024
We're into interesting territory.
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92nd over: England 385-7 (Pope 177, Hartley 20) Apologies I missed a rapid Ashwin over. These two spinners are rattling through their overs at pace, the scourge of an OBO scribe. His latest is very profitable for England who increase their lead to 195 runs. Hartley drives through extra cover for three and a couple of scampered singles follow. The crowd get restless, they are not used to seeing India being put under the pump. Ashwin goes round the stumps and extracts some pronounced bounce from a length ball, it duly beats Pope and Bharat behind the sticks, four byes added to the total.
91st over: England 366-7 (Pope 175, Hartley 16) Tom Hartley is playing a little gem of an innings here, he slaps a full ball from Jadeja back over the bowler’s head for a one bounce four. That was well struck, the new ball tracing off his blade at speed.
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89th over: England 366-7 (Pope 173, Hartley 9) India take the new ball. Belatedly. It is a deep cherry red and Jadeja will have first use of it. Hartley nudges a single to get off strike… WHAT.A.SHOT! Ollie Pope pulls off another ‘no look’ reverse ramp that flies away over the keeper for four. That shot twists my melon, man.
88th over: England 353-7 (Pope 169, Hartley 8) Tom Hartley gets on the front foot and drives Ashwin with power and panache back over the esteemed bowler’s head. Four runs. Aswhin goes over the wicket and Hartley has no qualms reverse sweeping for a single.
Ashwin and Jadeja both conceding 100+ in a side’s second innings in India.
— Henry Moeran (@henrymoeranBBC) January 28, 2024
When did that last happen? Has it ever?
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87th over: England 353-7 (Pope 167, Hartley 2) Jadeja beats Pope with a flighted ball outside off, the bails are whipped off in a blink but he manages not to topple out of his crease. A bye and a leg bye keep England ticking over, the lead stands at 163 runs.
86th over: England 350-7 (Pope 166, Hartley 2) England bring up the 350 as Ashwin comes into the attack. Pope clips for a coupe square, sprinting back to make his ground for the second. A single to midwicket sees him keep strike for Jadeja. Pope is looking very determined this morning, he bumped shoulders with Jasprit Bumrah a few minutes ago and it seems to have fired him up a bit. His dander us up. Beans going. Ticking. You know what I mean.
“Morning James, chilly feet woke me, check the first over while the electric blanket does its work, but then a different comfort from you and the english batters, so now coffee and who knows what? Back to bed at the first wicket?At least some moral support for your graft!”
Much appreciated and do stick with us Tone White - Crank the electric blanket, slap on some slipper socks and dare to dream!
85th over: England 347-7 (Pope 163, Hartley 2) A solitary Pope single off Bumrah’s latest. India persisting with the old ball. Hartley does well to jam down on a yorker and plays a confident drive off the last ball but straight to the fielder at mid off. A yard either side and it was four.
“Morning James / Jim / Jimbo (not sure which you prefer*...),
I have this strange fluttering sensation in my heart, and I think it’s called Hope. (Rhymes with Pope.) But I fear that if you don’t post this comment very promptly, it will look deluded... Keep the Kenco flowing!”
*You can call me anything you want, Martin Wright.
84th over: England 346-7 (Pope 162, Hartley 2) Jadeja is getting some biting turn and low bounce off the day four surface. Tom Hartley biffs a couple of singles down the ground and Pope plays with soft hands to pick up three wide of slip. He keeps strike for Jasprit.
Mark Kelly is not full of 4am mirth…
“Hi James, sorry to be a negative Nelly, but magnificent innings or not from Pope, it doesn’t mean much unless it is game winning. Has everyone forgotten that England’s bowling attack led by Root will need to go through a formidably deep Indian batting line up? I haven’t. A deteriorating pitch could come into play I suppose… Bah humbug.”
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WICKET! Ahmed c Bharat b Bumrah 28 (England 339-7)
Bumrah does the business and makes the breakthrough with the old ball! A hint of away swing and Rehan hangs his bat out, a thin edge is swallowed by Bharat behind the stumps. A punky little cameo comes to an end. England lead by 149 and Tom Hartley is the new man. Three dots to end a successful over for India.
83rd over: England 339-7 (Pope 157, Hartley 0)
82nd over: England 338-6 (Pope 157, Ahmed 28) Rehan Ahmed bunts Jadeja over mid off for a nonchalant four! The stones on this 19 year old, seriously.
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81st over: England 333-6 (Pope 156, Ahmed 24) India continue with the old ball, I can’t see signs of reverse swing, perhaps they are slightly concerned with how fast the new nut could fly off the bat. Bumrah stutters in and unleashes his bull whip in inimitable style. Rehan guides past gully to take a single and bring Pope onto strike. Shot! Pope opens the face and purposefully guides a length ball in the gap at third for four. Class. More than a hint of Ian Bell in his pomp with that shot. Perky start for England this morning. The same can’t really be said for me, I’m hooked up to a Kenco drip.
80th over: England 327-6 (Pope 152, Ahmed 23) Everything has been hitting the middle of Rehan Ahmed’s blade in this innings. He rocks back and slaps a shorter ball from Jadeja into the leg side for a couple and keeps strike with a single to point. He oozes talent.
79th over: England 324-6 (Pope 152, Ahmed 20) Jasprit Bumrah to start from the other end, the new ball is due for India after this over. He bears Pope first up as the ginger one gropes at a ball he could/should have left. Early signs of nerves? Not really – Pope moves to 150 with a poke to point. A subtle wave of the bat, he knows there is plenty still to do. Rehan drives for three into the space at extra cover and Pope clips a couple off his pads to make it a profitable six runs off the over.
78th over: England 318-6 (Pope 149, Ahmed 17) The karate bandana clad Jadeja darts one wide of the stumps to get the day started. Rehan watches it fizz on by. A single off the next ball to point brings Pope on strike. Pea roller! Jadeja gives it a rip and the ball spits off the surface at metatarsal height! England won’t mind seeing a bit of that. Pope leans on a single into the covers to make it two runs off the first over.
The players are readying in Hyderabad. We’ll be underway any second. Do get in touch if you are out there and tuned in from under the duvet, wee small hours company very much welcome. Drop me an email or send me a missive on the socials @Jimbo_Cricket.
Ravindra Jadeja has the ball in hand and will be spearing them in at Rehan Ahmed. Let’s play!
Over in Australia, another day four and another cracker potentially in the offing:
Shamar Joseph is running around with a smile on his face and is warming up. Great signs this for the West Indies #AusvWI pic.twitter.com/7IiM6EGC4P
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) January 28, 2024
The masterful Rob Smyth has got you covered for that one.
Jack Leach’s knee looks massive. Not in a good way. TNT has footage of him limping off the team bus with a sizeable amount of strapping on his leg. This is not good news for England.
Noises are not great around Jack Leach's knee injury. Word is he will bat but tbc whether he will be able to bowl in the fourth innings.
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) January 28, 2024
Catch up on Day three:
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the day 4 OBO of India v England from Hyderabad. The game is set up quite beautifully after Ollie Pope’s masterclass of an innings yesterday. The Surrey man stepped up on day three and played the innings of his England career so far, 148 runs of silken brilliance. Don’t take my word for it – just ask Joe Root:
I’ve seen a lot of cricket, I’ve played and batted out there in the middle with a lot of brilliant players and to witness that was really special… Honestly, it’s an absolute masterclass in how to bat in these conditions as an overseas player. That’s the benchmark. I might have scored a few runs in the subcontinent but not on a surface like that against an attack like that.”
England managed to wipe off a deficit of 190 runs on first innings and now lead by 126 runs with four wickets remaining. They’ll need every single run they can muster to try and put some pressure on India’s stellar batting card with their inexperienced bowling attack. Play will get underway shortly and it just might be a belter.
