End of day's play. It's been another copybook day for India, in complete control of this Test here. After Sehwag's run-a-ball 117, Cheteshwar Pujara's unbeaten double century today and Yuvraj Singh's solid 74 meant there was no let up in India's scoring rate. And then the three quick strikes in as many overs towards the end of the day has given the English a lot to worry about, and not too many options to find solutions to their worries. It's only been two days but the target of 322, which England need to avoid follow-on, looks far, far away at the moment. The Indian spinners would be looking forward to tomorrow, something that cannot be said of the English batsmen.
Over 18: England 41/3; Cook 22, Pietersen 6
Last over of the day and England survive without losing another wicket.
Over 17: England 40/3; Cook 22, Pietersen 6
Pietersen is on strike and the 'pie-chucker' comes on. This may turn out to be interesting. Pietersen starts with a four pulled to deep square, and Cook ends the over with another four, rocking back to drive through cover. First good over for England this, they haven;t had too many of them on this day, either in field or batting. But there are a lot, lot more runs they need to score.
Wicket: Trott c Gambhir b Ashwin 0
Over 16: England 31/3; Cook 18, Pietersen 0
Ashwin gets his second wicket. That's three wickets in three overs, and England's worst nightmares are coming true. Ball turns just enough to take Jonathan Trott's inside edge and bounces off the pad to Gambhir at short leg. Pietersen walks out to bat. That's one of England's most stubborn batsmen gone without disturbing the scorers. Not good for England.
Wicket: Anderson c Gambhir b Ojha 2
Over 15: England 29/2; Cook 17, Trott 0
Another one goes. Anderson came out as the nightwatchman, with just over 20 minutes of play remaining, but was back as quickly. This time it's Ojha. Anderson moved forward but loops it to straight to Gautam Gambhir at short leg. England are in trouble here.
This was Ashwin's 50th Test wicket in just eight games -- the fastest to that mark. Goign by the way things are panning out here, there would be a lot more to come here before this Test ends.
Wicket: Comption b Ashwin 9
Over 14: England 29/1; Cook 17, Anderson 0
Gone! Ashwin strikes, England lose their first wicket. Compton has looked decidedly uncomfortable through his brief stay on crease, and this one spun hard. Pitched outside off and turned enough to go through the gap between bat and pad to rattle the middle stump.
Realistically speaking, this match is all about India now. Unless, of course, England avoid the follow-on, eat up enough time in that process, and do not have to bat more than half a day in the fourth innings. A lot of ifs, but theoretically, possible.
Over 12: England 25/0; Cook 16, Compton 8
R Ashwin has switched ends to replace Zaheer Khan even as Ojha comes on from the other end. Cook is rotating the strike easily enough, but that's not something Compton seems to relish. Ashwin has a big shout for LBW turned down.
Over 6: England 19/0; Cook 15, Compton 3
England are playing cautious here, taking their chances against Zaheer and leaving the spinners alone. Expected, given the ineffectiveness of seamers on this wicket. England would be furious with themselves if they lose more than a couple of wickets to the seamers here with the new ball.
Over 2: England 13/0; Cook 12, Compton 1
Zaheer starts from the other end, though given the way things have panned out in this Test so far, he could well have given it to Pragyan Ojha to start with spinners from either end. Or maybe he has been enthused by Anderson's success at long last half an hour ago. Zaheer goes up in appeal after Compton plays forward and gets huge edge of the pad, but the upmire isn't interested.
Over 1: England 8/0; Cook 8, Compton 0
R Ashwin opens the bowling for India, and that's the third time this year a spinner will start against England in Tests. First ball is too short and goes for four. The last also goes to the ropes, but it's the ones in between, that turned sharply, that would worry the English batsmen.
The Indian team is out, all ready and raring to go. Alastair Cook and Nick Compton walk out too, and they would know the huge responsibility that lies on them. England need 322 to avoid follow-on.
India declare for 521/8; innings break
Over 160: India 521/8 declared; Pujara 206 not out, Ojha 0
India finally declare. Dhoni has sent out message to call back Pujara and Ojha, and not too soon. Pujara remains unbeaten on 206, a tremendous, brilliant knock from the young man in his sixth Test. There's stil a long way to go in this Test, however, and the Indian spinners would be more than happy to come out as soon as possible.
The way Pujara is batting, he would be happy to score all the runs for Indian hereon, if only he has someone standing at the other end. And bat for the remaining three and a half days of the Test, if only the team management allows him to. It may be too early to dub him 'The New Wall' but he has shown he has the ability to reach there.
Over 158: India 519/8; Pujara 204, Ojha 0
India lose another wicket, the tail is out and England can look forward to start batting today. Or maybe not. After two days of fruitless toil in hard conditions, not sure if they would really be keen on getting out there to bat. Anderson gets another wicket, this time it's Zaheer Khan. Bowled full, Zaheer swings at it wildly, and is caught by Trott at point. First wicket to a seamer in this innings, and it leaves India short of the expected target of 550. Pragyan Ojha is the new man in. Will Dhoni declare anytime soon or wait to be all out?
Day Two's play is following the same script as Day One. First session all about India's batting, second hangs in balance with runs for India and wickets for England, and the third begins with a milestone and a wicket. The only difference is the Star of the Day: Sehwag on Day One and Pujara on Day Two. Can't get two more contrasting players, eh!
The way Pujara is batting, he would be happy to score all the runs for Indian hereon, if only he has someone standing at the other end. And bat for the remaining three and a half days of the Test, if only the team management allows him to. It may be too early to dub him 'The New Wall' but he has shown he has the ability to reach there.
Over 155: India 510/7; Pujara 202, Zaheer 0
Ashwin goes, soon after Pujara's double ton. India lose another wicket, but it's not the one England would want. Pietersen has the ball and Ashwin goes back to cut it but manages a nick to Prior behind the stumps. Finally, Prior has done something right in this match. Zaheer Khan walks out to join Pujara, and can England be thinking of actually getting the Indians all out?
Over 154: India 507/6; Pujara 200, Ashwin 22
Pujara gets a double hundred! Anderson bowls a full length delivery wide of off-stump and Pujara simply steers it for a single that brings up the 200. The double ton came the way Pujara has played his entire knock -- sensible, matter-of-fact and completely in control. The stadium is deafening at this moment.
England have stuck with two wickets post lunch, similar to what they did on Day One, but things seem to happen only at one end. At the other, Pujara has not just dropped anchor but possibly decided to dock his boat for eternity, or as long as the team allows him. And the wicket remains as flat as ever.
On a pitch that has nothing for the bowlers, England, not the worst fielding side from any measure, have dropped almost every Indian batsman at least once. It started with Sehwag and the latest is Ashwin, who drove to Cook at extra-cover but the English captain was slow to react. Can England's batsman atleast give them something to cheer, as and when they do come out?
Tea
Over 152: India 502/6; Pujara 196, Ashwin 21
And that brings up India's 500, with Pujara just four away from an impressive 200. Samit Patel bowls slightly short and on the leg and Pujara flicks through midwicket for three runs as the teams go to tea.
England may well be sniffing at something like 550 here, and if luck holds, maybe even 500. Not much hope of that, though. It seems captain Cook takes off Graeme Swann only to give him some rest, and the others to make up for the time in-between Swann's strikes. The off-spinner has taken five of the six Indian wickets to fall, and was the catcher in the sixth, sending back Yuvraj.
Wicket: Dhoni b swann 5
Over 135: India 444/6; Pujara 160, Ashwin 0
Dhoni goes, and not surprisingly, to Swann. That's the fiver for Swann, and Dhoni little innings is over as he goes for a sweep, the ball takes the bottom of his gloves and rolls onto the stumps. Pujara, meanwhile, seems to be going strong, with little discomfort.
Over 125: India 414/5; Pujara 135, Dhoni 0
Gone! Yuvraj Singh holes out to Grame Swann at long-on, trying to club a full toss from Samit Patel. A lucky wicket if there ever was one, and Patel would not be too happy with the delivery but will welcome the wicket wholeheartedly. Real disappointment for Yuvraj, who looked well set for a fairytale comeback 100. Captain Mahedra Singh Dhoni is the new man in.
Wicket: Yuvraj c Swann b Patel 74
The way this match is going, it will be entirely up to MS Dhoni to decide when he wants to declare. it's evident that there is no chance of getting India all out, and Dhoni would want to give his bowlers enough time to make a match of it, because if there is simply too many runs on board -- something like 700 -- the English would like to simply dig in and play out a draw, without even attempting to score.
Something like a 600 by the first session tomorrow looks likely.
Over 122: India 411/4; Pujara 133, Yuvraj 73
Pietersen begins bowling in the second session after lunch, starts against Yuvraj.
If anything has been proved by this first session on Day Two, it's this: England do not seem to be taking a wicket in this innings without Swann. Samit patel has been treated with disdain, Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson whipped away and punished for every delivery splayed wide on either side and Tim Bresnan has hardly got to bowl. Again, as on Day One, this session has been all about India's batting domination.
On the other hand, that may still give England some hope, given that they managed all four of their wickets post lunch. But the way the Indians are scoring, even a couple of wickets, if they do come, later in the day may be too late to undo the damage.
Lunch
Over 121: India 410/4; Pujara 133, Yuvraj 72
And that's lunch. Again a first session that's been all about runs and England trying desperately to not look already lost. Yuvraj Singh is looking solid at 72 not out while Pujara is inching, without any hurry, towards a 150.
Over 118: India 400/4; Pujara 131, Yuvraj 64
Kevin Pietersen comes into bowling, and Yuvraj Singh is at the crease to face him. An intersting battle between KP and the 'pie-chucker'. Gets straight off on the middle and a huge shout for LBW but umpire Aleem Dar feels it was going down the legside. Maiden over from KP.
Over 117: India 400/4; Pujara 131; Yuvraj 64
400 for India. The Pujara-Yuvraj partnership has climbed to 117 runs for the fifth wicket, and there are no signs of the pitch doing anything at all here. It's completely flat, and there are a lot more runs to come. This one comes off Tim Bresnan, punched off the backfoot wide off the cover by Pujara.
Over 112: India 385/4; Pujara 126, Yuvraj 54
Finally, Bresnan comes over. He had bowled just 10 overs in this innings before this and with the ball appearing to aid reverse swing, Bresnan should hvae come on at least five overs back. Nevertheless, he is in action now. Keeps it full and on middle and off, and the only two runs conceded this over are through a misfield by Ian Bell.
Over 107: India 375/4; Pujara 118, Yuvraj 52
This one gets the emotional angle right, and how. Yuvraj Singh, returning to Test cricket after his fight with cancer, scores a 50 on comeback. And does it in style -- comes down the wicket to Samit Patel, picks up the ball in motion and sends it over mid-off to the ropes.
Pujara's ton is only the 11th Test hundred in the last one week. Besides Sehwag here, count in Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla, Michael Clarke, Ed Cowan, Michael Hussey, Powell, Chanderpaul, Ramdin and Hossain -- the battle between bat and ball seems to be getting more and more unequal.
Over 103: India 363/4; Pujara 113, Yuvraj 45
India get two runs more, and the English bowlers seem to be working more at choking the runs than taking a wicket here, after their early failed attempts. At least, that's what it seems, and they do seem to be doing a decent job of it. But England are seriously missing Monty Panesar here; Swann can onloy onld up so much. Of the 103 overs bowled so far, the off-spinner's share is 39 -- unst under 40 percent.
England have had five of their appeals turned down so far, and all for LBWs -- two off Broad and three to Swann. Either the wicket ain;t turning as much as was predicted, or the English are getting really desperate. At least the umpires have to only consider the turn of the ball and not the height here...the ball simply refuses to rise above the knees!
Over 95: India 345/4; Pujara 105, Yuvraj 35
It seems the Indians were only waiting for Pujara's ton. Now that it's out of the way, both Yuvraj and Pujara seem to cut loose, and Swann is the bowler at the receiving end. India get their first boundaries off the bat for the day, including a clean strike over mid-off by Yuvraj, coming down the pitch.
Over 94: India 330/4; Pujara 100, Yuvraj 25
And Pujara gets his 100. He has had to wait for it but it's come. Works a length ball from Broad to deep square leg for a single, and raises the bat with the same calmness with which he bats.
Over 93: India 328/4; Pujara 99, Yuvraj 24
Another maiden from Swann. The off-spinner seems to be carrying on from where he let off on Day One -- he had five maidens -- and Pujara has to hang around for a while for that one run to complete his century. Swann keeps the ball full, flighting it up, and Pujara decides to play safe.
Over 92: India 328/4; Pujara 99, Yuvraj 24
Broad starts from the other end, and concedes the first boundary of the day. Pitched it just outside on the leg, goes up in appeal but only ends up adding four leg-byes to the Indian scorecard.
Over 91: India 323/4; Pujara 98, Yuvraj 24
Swann, the best English player on display on Day One, opens the bowling to Yuvraj. The second ball beats the bat, as Yuvi attempts a sweep, and draws forth an LBW appeal from the lips of Swann and Prior. It's a maiden.
India Today brings you live coverage of the first Test between India and England at the Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad. India finished the first day at a commanding 323/4 in 90 overs, courtesy a sparkling run-a-ball century by Virender Sehwag and a classy, stroke-filled unbeaten 98 from Cheteshwar Pujara. India's performance has brought in more spectators on Day Two, and with the weekend looming, the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera is likely to see a lot more people streaming in.
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