England are staring at defeat in the fifth Test against India in Dharamsala, with the hosts extending their lead to 255 runs by the close of the second day. It will take an extraordinary effort from England to turn the game around. This series has already seen England suffer their first loss under Ben Stokes' captaincy. The series began with England clinching a phenomenal victory in the first Test in Hyderabad, but India staged a remarkable comeback, winning the next three Tests to take an unassailable 3-1 lead.
Tim Paine, Brad Haddin take a jibe at England's pathetic show in Test series vs India
The dominance of India in this series was the topic of conversation between former Australian cricketers Tim Paine and Brad Haddin on the 'Around The Wicket' podcast. Haddin noted that despite missing several key players, India overwhelmingly dominated England throughout the series.
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"But they have been playing against the Indian B team because there has been no Kohli, no Shami, Bumrah got rested last Test, KL Rahul is out and Rishabh Pant is still making his way back from that accident," said Haddin.
"They are not their strongest team but it just goes to show that the depth in Indian cricket is huge because there are some big names coming into this next era of Indian cricket. Jaiswal is leading the charge; young Jurel was magnificent in the last Test as well. So India are looking very strong," he added.
Tim Paine, the Australian captain during the 2020/21 Test series when an under-strength India triumphed over Australia, expressed his familiarity with the disappointment of losing to what many referred to as India's B team. Paine admitted his enjoyment of seeing England lose but acknowledged the commendable cricket they play.
Reflecting on the 2020/21 series, Virat Kohli took paternity leave following the first Test, leaving Ajinkya Rahane to lead the team. The squad was without Rohit Sharma for the initial two Tests and Ishant Sharma for the entire tour. Injuries sidelined Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, and KL Rahul for the last two Tests, while Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, and Hanuma Vihari were unavailable for the concluding Test.
Paine lauds Kohli-less India's dominating show against England
“I know what it's like to be beaten by an Indian B team. Unfortunately, it happened to us on our home soil. But yes, some huge names out for India, which should have certainly helped the English. I thoroughly enjoy watching England play the game, I love the way they are going about it. I love watching them lose. Don't get me wrong but they are entertaining and exciting,”Paine added.
England under the pump
Talking about the ongoing fifth Test, captain Rohit Sharma, along with Shubman Gill, Devdutt Padikkal, and Sarfaraz Khan, propelled India into a dominant position on the Day 2 of the fifth Test.
Following their commanding batting display, India have established a 255-run lead with more runs potentially on the board, positioning themselves as the clear favorites to clinch a resounding win in Dharamsala and secure the Anthony D’Mello Trophy with a 4-1 series win.
Resuming at an overnight score of 135/1, Rohit and Gill contributed 103 and 110 respectively, amassing 171 runs for the second wicket and steering India into a commanding position. Towards the day's end, Kuldeep Yadav (27 not out) and Jasprit Bumrah (19 not out) kept India in the game with two wickets in hand, despite a brief falter in the evening session, by holding firm with an ongoing ninth-wicket partnership now valued at 45 runs.
Padikkal, stepping in for Rajat Patidar in the Indian lineup, formed a robust 97-run partnership with Sarfaraz . Khan, marking his third fifty of the series with a spirited 56, helped India regain momentum following the consecutive dismissals of Rohit and Gill.
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