India Tightens Grip After Crawley's Burst on Day 2 of Visakhapatnam Test

Visakhapatnam: India fought back valiantly in the second session, restricting England to 155/4 at tea on Day 2 of the second Test after Zak Crawley's aggressive knock threatened to derail their grip on the match.

Crawley's 76 off 78 balls, peppered with sixes and boundaries, put the Indian bowlers under pressure. He reached his fifty off just 46 deliveries, unsettling the hosts' rhythm. However, his dismissal triggered a mini-collapse, with India claiming three wickets for 22 runs.

Axar Patel provided the breakthrough, inducing Crawley into a miscued slog sweep that was brilliantly caught by Shreyas Iyer. Jasprit Bumrah then showcased his mastery with the old ball, dismissing Joe Root and Ollie Pope in quick succession. Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes steadied the ship for England, guiding them safely to tea.

Earlier, India had been bowled out for 396 after Yashasvi Jaiswal's valiant 209 went in vain. James Anderson spearheaded England's bowling attack with a superb spell, picking up three wickets. Ravichandran Ashwin chipped in with a quickfire cameo, but the lower order failed to wag their tails.

England, in their reply, began explosively with Duckett taking Mukesh Kumar to the cleaners. However, India clawed their way back after lunch, restricting the visitors to a decent but not commanding score at tea.

Brief Scores:

India: 396 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 209; James Anderson 3-47, Rehan Ahmed 3-65)

England: 155/4 (Zak Crawley 76; Jasprit Bumrah 2-27)