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Nottingham: England captain Alastair Cook's batting struggles continued as India took control of the first Test with a record last-wicket partnership.
All the talk and all the focus on day 2 will be rightly centered along the performances of Bhuvneshwar and Shami as they strung together a record 111-run stand for the last wicket.
This stand was the highest ever for India in Tests against England and the icing on the cake was maiden fifties from both the No. 10 and No. 11.
It started off with Bhuvneshwar farming the strike and it ended up with both batsmen matching each other stroke for stroke. Bhuvneshwar, who bats at No. 6 for Uttar Pradesh in the domestic circuit, gave a damning indictment about his capability been relegated to the No. 10 position.
He notched up his fifty with a single while Shami got there in spectacular style with a six off Moeen Ali. In the course of the 111-run stand, England's emotions veered between frustration and almost gettng reduced to tears.
10th wicket partnership for India in Test
It had been a different story when these two came in. India, who were in a strong position at 342/5, lost four wickets for just four runs. Ravindra Jadeja played a loose shot, MS Dhoni was run-out for the second consecutive innings against England, Stuart Binny chased a wide ball while Ishant Sharma misjudged the length and shouldered arms, only for the ball to knock off stump. Both these batsmen took advantage of the dead pitch and ensured India got past 450 for the first time since the Centurion Test against South Africa in 2010.
At the start of the day, India continued to grind the England bowlers with Murali Vijay and Dhoni scoring at just over two runs per over. Dhoni was lucky to receive a life on 50 when he edged Stuart Broad but Matt Prior dropped the catch. Vijay was looking ominous before James Anderson trapped him LBW. Vijay was bitterly disappointed and this highlighted two things. One, the hunger for big runs was evident in Vijay's batting while the second was a silent curse for DRS to be used.
While India frustrated England, the home skipper Alastair Cook might be preparing to face the heat from the media and cricket pundits after a poor day in the field and with the bat. In the field, he tried some innovations but failed to attack on a consistent basis. With the bat, his poor form continued.
Cook walked across to the off side and looked to flick it to the leg side, but the ball brushed the back pad and grazed the leg stump as he perished for 5. However, Gary Ballance and Sam Robson ensured that there were no further problems as they finished day 2 on 40/1.
Although the wicket looks as dead as a zombie, the fireworks by Bhuvneshwar and Shami have given fans something memorable on a day where run-scoring was attritional.
The left-hander was bowled off his thigh pad for five before England closed the second day at Trent Bridge on 43-1, trailing by 414.
Cook has now gone 25 Test innings without a century.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami added 111 - an India last-wicket record against England - to help them to 457.
follow..
Brief scores
India - 457 (Vijay 146, Dhoni 82, Kumar 58, Shami 51*, Anderson 3-123)
England - 43/1 (Robson 20*)
Status - England trial by 414 runs
