What happened on Day 2 of the 5th IND vs ENG 2024 Test?

India consolidated their position on Day 2 of the fifth Test against England in Dharamsala on Friday, March 8.

Resuming their first innings on 135-1 in response to England’s 218, the hosts went to stumps at 473-8, with a lead of 255. Overnight batters Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill went on to hit hundreds, while Sarfaraz Khan (56) and debutant Devdutt Padikkal (65) contributed half-centuries.

Rohit and Gill resumed their innings on 52 and 26, respectively, and went on to feature in a 171-run stand for the second wicket. Rohit got into his groove early, launching Shoaib Bashir for a six and a four, while Gill took on James Anderson and whacked him for a maximum and a boundary.

Both batters showed positive intent in the first session as England’s bowling looked pedestrian. India reached 230-1 after 50 overs, with both Rohit and Gill in their 80s.

The Indian captain beat his younger partner to three figures by punching a delivery from Tom Hartley through midwicket for a single. Gill, meanwhile, got there in a much more emphatic fashion, slog-sweeping Bashir for a boundary over square leg as India scored 129 in the opening session on Day 2 without losing a wicket.

England were looking for a moment of magic from somewhere to break the frustrating stand. And it came from none other than captain Ben Stokes. Bowling in a Test for the first time since the 2023 Ashes, he knocked over his opposite number with a brute off his first ball.

Stokes bowled one on a length and got the ball to seam away just enough to beat Rohit (103)'s defense and knock the top of off stump.

The other centurion, Gill, fell in the next over to his nemesis, James Anderson. The England pacer claimed his 699th Test scalp when he got one to seam in and knock out the off stump.

Sarfaraz and debutant Padikkal, though, absorbed the pressure, adding 97 for the fourth wicket. Padikkal began aggressively and eased into his 30s with three fours in an Anderson over.

After a watchful start, Sarfaraz also picked up pace. He hammered Mark Wood for a four and six off consecutive deliveries as India began building a sizeable lead. Sarfaraz reached his half-century by sweeping Bashir for a four through midwicket.

He was dismissed on the first ball of the last session, though, caught at slip while he attempted to guide Bashir with an open bat face.

---

England strike in the last session, but India retain control

Following Sarfaraz’s dismissal, Padikkal reached his half-century on debut in style, launching Bashir for a maximum over his head. The off-spinner had his revenge, though, when he cleaned up the left-hander with one that turned past the outside edge.

Dhruv Jurel (15) holed out to long-on off Bashir, while Ravindra Jadeja (15) was trapped lbw by Hartley with one that turned sharply.

In the same over, the left-arm spinner cleaned up Ravichandran Ashwin (0) with one that skidded on. Kuldeep Yadav (27*) and Jasprit Bumrah (19*), though, added an unbroken 45 for the ninth wicket as India ended the day strongly.