India vs England: Virat Kohli hits fifty but Sam Curran Ben Stokes leave India reeling in Edgbaston Test

Skipper Virat Kohli waged a grim battle to get to his first half-century in England but rest of India’s batting collapsed against the seam bowling of rookie Sam Curran and Ben Stokes. (LIVE UPDATES)

Kohli survived a prolonged, probing spell from old foe James Anderson before getting to his 17th Test half-century (53 no – 102 balls, 9x4), having scored a highest of only 39 across five Test in the 2014 series. However, he was dropped twice by Dawid Malan in the slip cordon, on 21 off Anderson and on 50 off Stokes.

R Ashwin was on six.

Whatever advantage India thought their bowlers had wrested by pegging back England vanished on the second day of the Edgbaston Test as the visitors were reduced to 160/6, still 127 runs behind after England were 287 all out in the morning.

Having lost three wickets before lunch, India were reduced to 148/6 close to tea after left-arm paceman Curran, 20 and only in his second Test, trapped Hardik Pandya leg before for 22. He had added 48 runs for the sixth wicket with Kohli and a review confirmed the umpire’s decision was right.

Indian batsmen had little clue when the ball swung, and England’s only regret would be dropping three catches, two against Kohli who was growing in confidence.

Curran ended the 50-run partnership between openers Murali Vijay (20) and Shikhar Dhawan (26) as he captured three wickets in 14 deliveries before lunch.

Kohli was engaged in an epic battle against Anderson either side of the break. Anderson, 36, showed age has not dimmed his skill as he tested the India skipper outside off-stump. The man who dismissed Kohli four times on the 2014 tour bowled a terrific spell of 15-6-27-0, broken only by the lunch interval and one over by leg-spinner Adil Rashid before the break.

Once Anderson was off the attack, Kohli could play more freely and Stuart Broad gave him a few loose deliveries to put away and reach his fifty.

Kohli had managed just 134 runs in 10 innings and was determined to change the script. He curbed the tendency to play outside off-stump as Anderson tested his patience with a metronomic line.

Still, Kohli was lucky to get through 43 deliveries from Anderson. He had two scoring shots, one an edged four, was dropped on 21 by Dawid Malan at third slip, and another chance fell just short of Keaton Jennings at third slip.

Malan also dropped Kohli off Stokes, a delivery after he had reached fifty.

But it was mayhem at the other end as none of the other batsmen could negotiate movement. India were 76/3 at lunch and were down to 100/5 after Stokes removed Ajinkya Rahane (15) and Dinesh Karthik (0).

Rahane, regarded among India’s best bet in overseas conditions, had little clue as he was repeatedly beaten by his Rajasthan Royals teammate. Stokes kept the ball up and inches outside off-stump, and eventually had him edge to third slip.

Rahane was lucky to survive on 11 after England didn’t review a leg before appeal. Replays showed he was clearly out. But Rahane could not cash in on that reprieve.

Dinesh Karthik had no clue as Stokes got one to swing in and hold the line to knock over middle-stump. Pandya was put down by Alastair Cook at first slip off Stokes the delivery after Kohli was let off.

The pitch wasn’t doing too much, but the England pacers’ disciplined show left India’s batsmen totally exposed. Kohli was lucky to survive four nicks and but for England’s sloppy catching India would have been in deeper trouble.

First Published: Aug 02, 2018 19:13 IST