Join us for updates, analysis and color from day one of the second trial
Welcome to the first day of our live report from the second Chennai India-England test. Join us for updates, analysis and color. You can find our traditional ball-by-ball commentary here
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9.45am: Stone’s perfect start
Much debate over England’s policy of rotating its bowlers throughout this six-round tour of the subcontinent, but a fresh new pair of balls from Stuart Broad and Olly Stone started with the money. Following Broad’s maiden to Rohit Sharma, Stone claimed his first test wicket since July 2019 with his third ball of the morning, while Shubman Gill advanced to one that would have fallen off the stump. An easy decision for the referee, as our own Andrew Miller called it:
9.30 am: Let’s play!
Here’s Axar Patel getting his cap on his debut. Now he’s hoping to put his feet up and leave his bowling boots on the changing table for the rest of the day … Time to head out to Chepauk, where the crowd has returned and Rohit Sharma faces off against Broad. headband in place, with the new ball. Three slips and a ravine keeping watch.
9.20h: rotation situation
England, of course, have made four changes to a winning team, partly due to injury, but also due to preconceived plans about half-time and rotation. Here’s Stuart Broad, back on the side in place of James Anderson, in preparation after having passed the last two tests: “[It’s gone] As well as can be expected, it’s been almost a month since I had some form of match practice, but you have to get what you can get on the media, but that’s only part of the current situation we are in. We saw how Well the Indian bowlers came out in Australia after not much practice of the match and today we are in a similar boat but we have had excellent facilities to train, get full preparation on the nets and I feel as ready as may l. . It’s quite difficult to replicate the match conditions on the networks, you just have to try to increase your intensity as much as you can. That’s where the experience [comes in]I’ve played cricket a lot, I can trust the knowledge and feel calm knowing that I’ve been there before. “
9 am: India wins the draw, makes three changes
Hello and welcome to Chennai II: Payback. That, at least, is the script Virat Kohli works with, and having won the toss and chosen to hit, his team should be able to dictate the terms of what is expected to be a much more animated track. India has debuted Axar Patel, whose injury absence last week had a knock-on effect for the rest of the XI. With Patel in shape, they have called up Kuldeep Yadav for the first time in two years, while Mohammed Siraj replaces Jasprit Bumrah, who is resting after throwing 42 overs in his first test at home. England had named their XII on the eve of the match, with Stuart Broad, Ben Foakes and Moeen Ali entering. The final place came down to the beat of Olly Stone versus Chris Woakes’ experience (and hitting), with Stone getting the nod. . He will play his second round, having made his debut against Ireland at Lord’s in 2019.
Alan Gardner is deputy editor of ESPNcricinfo. @alanroderick
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