India sets target of 405 to win against England in 2nd Test match

Chasing 405 for an unlikely win on a surface where low bounce was the biggest threat, England was 87 for two after batting resolutely for 59.2 overs on the fourth day of the second Test at the Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Stadium.

Earlier, India was dismissed for 204 in its second innings. Broad and leg-spinner Adil Rashid scalped four each.India will seek to drive home the advantage of bowling on a last-day pitch with more than 300 runs to defend but England has put itself in a situation from where a draw is not an impossible result.

The host was frustrated by the dogged 75-run stand for the opening wicket in 50.2 overs between Cook and Hameed.After surviving pacy bursts from Shami and Umesh Yadav, the openers batted with a mix of technical expertise and belief.

Cook (54, 188b, 4x4) was solid with his forward defensive stroke, went back if the length warranted, and played both Ashwin and Jadeja with conviction.Cook’s duel against Jadeja, when the left-arm spinner targeted the rough outside the southpaw’s off-stump, was largely won by the English captain.

But then, Cook erred in playing across to a Jadeja delivery that kept low in the final over of the day.Hameed, who appears technically sound with a matching temperament, often stretched fully in defence.



However, he had little chance against a shooter from Ashwin.

Tensions ran high in the last half-an-hour and there was some chatter between the Indian close-in fielders and Joe Root. Kohli too got involved but an ugly situation was averted.

In the morning, Kohli, missing a century-in-each-innings feat in his 50th Test, fell to an incredible catch from Ben Stokes.

It was a pulsating moment when the Indian captain went hard at a leg-spinner from Rashid. And Stokes, diving full stretch and defying gravity, completed the catch at slip.

Nevertheless, Kohli’s 81 (109b, 8x4) was an outstanding innings of both determination and sparkle on this track.

England was sharp on the field and Broad impressed with his spell of 8-0-27-2.

He largely operated back-of-a-length and got the ball to seam around. Both Ajinkya Rahane and Ashwin were taken out by mean leg-cutters.The quicker-through-the-air Rashid, who trapped Wriddhiman Saha leg-before with a googly, bowled with greater control in the second innings.

India could have been dismissed earlier but for the 42-run last-wicket partnership between Jayant Yadav (27 not out) and Shami that took the total past 200. Jayant once again batted with maturity, while Shami produced some lusty blows.