Pope makes gutsy century before Bumrah late show

Headingley, Day Two of the Fifth Rothesay Test

India 471: Gill 147, Pant 134, Jaiswal 101, Stokes 2-66, Tongue 4-86

England 209-3: Pope 100*, Duckett 62, Bumrah 3-48

England is 262 runs back.

Only Jasprit Bumrah’s heroic century, which ended England’s revival, late on day two, gave India the crucial wicket of Joe Root.

With 100 not out at Headingley, Pope, who was preferred to three-time world champion Jacob Bethell, redeemed England’s faith.

After Pope had finished his century, Root was caught at first slip, leaving England with a score of 209-3, with the paceman taking the final three wickets.

England is 261 fewer than India, which should have been much higher.

The tourists lost their final seven wickets for 41 runs despite Rishabh Pant’s thrilling century. Ben Stokes and Josh Tongue each took four wickets each.

England were confronted with the threat of Bumrah, who immediately had Zak Crawley caught at slip under a brooding sky, which had for 40 minutes of play halted by rain.

Although Bumrah was thrilling, Ben Duckett and Pope faced a stand of 122. Pope edged the same bowler through the slips after Duckett was dropped off Bumrah.

Duckett lost by 62 to Bumrah’s second spell, in which Yashasvi Jaiswal dropped Pope on 60 with third slip.

Root overturned being given lbw in the evening sunshine. One more spell called upon Bumrah. He snatched the bigger prize of Root, even though he was unable to stop Pope from reaching his milestone.

On the opening day, England was forced to chase after losing the toss, leaving England flat.

India should have kicked England out of the game before going back to bat 359-3 and then late on unleashed Bumrah.

Instead, the tourists gave the tourists a chance to return with loose kicks and dropped catches, and England, in particular Pope, did well enough to take advantage of the situation. The hosts still managed to score more than four runs in their over, despite their cavalier batting.

The ideal bowling conditions under which England faced their first innings further underscored how effective batting on Friday was. Every delivery was a learning experience for Bumrah when he had the ball, and he could have received an even bigger haul on another day.

England has a foot in the game despite all the talk of the Toss and Bumrah’s genius. The home team may win a fourth-innings chase on a sluggish pitch that appears to be full of runs.

The most significant innings of Pope’s Test career, which ended against India 18 months ago, defeated the same opponents despite having a weak record.

This was his best homecoming, in light of the debate in his place, the match situation, and the threat of Bumrah. The Surrey man won his ninth overall and third successive home Test.

Pope had a weakness as well, scoring behind square on the other side. He should have been caught by Jaiswal after edged Bumrah between third slip and gully on 10.

When Duckett cut Bumrah point, Ravindra Jadeja, who is a regular player, sprang up the chance to save him. Duckett drove through the gaps and barely managed to pull anything.

When Duckett fell from the inside edge and returned, the batting appeared much simpler. On seven, Mohammed Siraj received his replacement’s leg, Root, only to discover that it had a missing leg stump.

Bumrah’s third spell came to an end. Pope leapt in celebration after edged a single on 99. When Root was drawn into a poke to the first slip and left for 28Headingley was just starting to settle.

Given their platform at the beginning of the day, India had a choice to demand 550 or even more. Stokes’ decision to postpone his own entry into the attack in the first hour of England’s anonymous debut revealed little about the imminent collapse.

Pant planted Shoaib Bashir for six as he resumed his 65-year career. The left-hander made his second Test ton since a fatal car crash in December 2022 when he retested the dose, this time with one hand off. He celebrated with a somersault every time, ever the showman.

Up until captain Shubman Gill, who added 20 to increase India’s lead, carelessly clipped Bashir to Tongue at deep midwicket. The visitors began to disintegrate after that.

In the 12th over of the day, Stokes once more appeared to be a threat with pace, full length, and swing. In his first Test match in eight years, Karan Nair made a four-ball duck for the flying Pope in quick cover.

On day one, the tongue was poor and was ignored until 18 minutes before lunch on day two. He obtained the crucial wicket by finding the same movement as Stokes. Pant, who should have been spooked by Jamie Smith off Bashir, was tricked into leaving a tongue-in-swinger that had him locked in a trap, was impaled.

The series wins if Bumrah can keep quiet.

Ben Duckett, England’s opener, said: “We are in a good position, and if we win the first session tomorrow, we will really be in this game.”

When Pope scored 100, I was shivering. He makes up the majority of the dressing room. I’m anxious to hug him.

Sir Alastair Cook, the former England captain, said on TMS, “Pope played Bumrah with such control.