IND vs ENG Live Score: LUNCH REPORT
KL Rahul’s solid stay at the crease came to an abrupt end when a peach of a delivery from Josh Tongue shattered his middle stump, but Rishabh Pant’s explosive batting took over as India headed into lunch on Day 4 at 177 for 3 in the second Test against England at Edgbaston.
Under grey skies and with a slightly older ball offering movement, England’s pacers made good use of the conditions. Brydon Carse, in particular, bowled with pace, discipline, and determination during the morning spell.
At the lunch interval, India held a commanding 357-run lead, with Pant unbeaten on 41 off 35 balls and Shubman Gill, who scored a double century in the first innings, batting on 24 off 41.
Considering the pitch still had plenty to offer for batters and England’s aggressive style of chasing big totals, India would likely be eyeing a lead of at least 500 to feel secure.
Rahul looked fluent during his innings, finding the gaps with several stylish cover drives en route to his 55 off 84 deliveries. However, Tongue produced a gem that angled in before straightening just enough to beat the bat and crash into the stumps.
Earlier in the session, Karun Nair became the first casualty of the day. He fell for 26 off 46 balls, undone by relentless probing from Carse. After being stroked for a four, Carse stuck to his plan, enticing Nair into another drive, which resulted in a thin edge to the keeper. The same bowler had dismissed Nair with a sharp bouncer in the first innings and again unsettled him here with a short ball that struck the helmet grille, prompting a concussion check.
Pant walked in during the 30th over and wasted no time putting pressure back on the bowlers. He smacked Tongue for a four and followed it up with a six over mid-off, making his intentions clear. He then thrilled the crowd with a spectacular, off-balance pick-up shot off Ben Stokes that cleared the ropes.
Pant’s aggressive approach and free-flowing strokeplay entertained the Edgbaston crowd throughout the session. In one memorable moment, he attempted a wild swing at Tongue but lost control of his bat, which flew out of his hands. Jamie Smith, alert behind the stumps, made a clean take of the ball to prevent any damage.
