England's Shoaib Bashir picked up two wickets on debut, removing India's captain Rohit Sharma (14) and Axar Patel (27) on day one of the second Test; follow over-by-over text commentary from day two in Vizag, from 3.45am on Saturday (first ball at 4am)
Tuesday 6 February 2024 13:52, UK
Shoaib Bashir's 'nerveless' display on debut helped England battle back on day one of the second Test against India in Vizag, with former England captain Michael Atherton hailing the 20-year-old's temperament.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, Atherton said Bashir's first experience of Test cricket "couldn't really have gone better for him" after the Somerset off-spinner struck twice to help reduce India to 336-6 by stumps.
Bashir - who has played in just six first-class games before this one, averaging 67 with the ball - claimed Indian captain Rohit Sharma as his maiden Test wicket, caught at leg slip for 14, while he returned later in the day to remove Axar Patel for 27.
"For him to bowl as he did today, 28 overs, I think he looked completely nerveless," Atherton said. "He bowled accurately throughout. And there's not much in the pitch for him or anybody else, to be honest.
"He gets quite a bit of bounce because of his height and the overspin that he gets on the ball. Obviously the crowning moment for him was when he got Rohit Sharma out.
"It's a huge wicket, because India's batting line-up is actually quite inexperienced for them. Shoaib got him early on, picked up a late wicket and took a catch as well, so it couldn't have really gone better for him.
"Most importantly of all, he showed he's got the temperament for the occasion today; a terrific day for him."
A stunning century from India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal ensured the second Test is finely poised heading into day two, the 22-year-old unbeaten on 179.
Jaiswal stepped up for the hosts who are missing key batters in Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja for the second Test, smashing 17 fours and five sixes, with one of those struck over long-on off Tom Hartley bringing up his first century at home and second in six Tests.
"While Jaiswal's there, India will have designs on a score of 400, 450," Atherton said. "That's never a bad first-innings score, but it's not the kind of one that will frighten England.
"You always look at conditions and wonder how things will go. It's certainly less of a troubling pitch than it was in Hyderabad in that first innings. England's batters, having taken confidence from the way Ollie Pope and the others played [in the first Test], will be pretty confident of getting a score themselves.
"You'll see England playing aggressively because that's they're committed to playing that way and quite differently from the way India play. It's a good contrast in styles really between India's top six and England's.
"They [England] want to get early wickets tomorrow morning. Get Jaiswal out if they can, get among the wickets and get batting because day two, day three, I'm sure the pitch will still be fine.
"If it's going to break up, it's going to break up later in the game. It puts a big premium on first-innings runs and England will want to be right up there or beyond where India get to."
Bashir, who perhaps might have made his debut in the first Test of the series, was forced to travel back to London due to issues over his visa before re-joining the squad just as they applied the finishing touches to their victory in Hyderabad.
Fast forward five days and the 20-year-old was in the thick of the action, putting his visa issues behind him as he soaked up the "incredible feeling" of dismissing India captain Rohit.
"I'm going to look back on this day and think about getting Rohit Sharma out, I think that's all that matters really," Bashir told reporters after the first day's play.
"I had no doubts at all that I'd make it here, I always knew I would get the visa. It was a bit of a hassle but we're here now, I've made my debut and that's all that counts. I'm pretty chilled.
"It's been a very special day. To get Rohit Sharma out, my first wicket, is an incredible feeling. I just let it all out. He's a quality player, one of the best in the world and a great player of spin as well."
After being trusted to bowl 28 overs - 10 more than anyone else - on his first day of Test cricket, Bashir said of captain Ben Stokes: "He is such an incredible lad. He made me feel at ease straight away in the huddle and with all I've been through over the past two or three weeks.
"He has been so supportive. Credit to Stokesy, he's backed me all the way. He basically just said to me, 'Remember why you started playing the game, remember your family'.
"He said, 'Go out there and show what you've got. We already know, we've seen you'. Those words helped me massively with my confidence."
Follow over-by-over text commentary from day two of the second Test between India and England, in Vizag, live on skysports.com and the Sky Sports App from 3.45am on Saturday (first ball at 4am).
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