On-song Broad troubles India with four-wicket display - India v England, 2nd Test, Visakhapatnam, 4th day
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Stuart Broad was the pick of England's bowlers on the fourth day of the second Test against India, as he claimed four wickets to limit India's lead to 404 in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
England's batsmen had managed just 255 in reply to India's mammoth 455-run total. The tourists required to make early in roads and Broad did just that by dismissing India's openers, KL Rahul and Murali Vijay cheaply, on the third day, while James Anderson accounted for Cheteshwar Pujara.
The onus fell on Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane to drive home the advantage on the fourth day of the Test. The duo added 77 runs for the fourth wicket before Broad produced a leg cutter that Rahane edged to Alastair Cook at first slip. It was just the start England was looking for as they looked to restrict the hosts.
He then foxed R Ashwin with another leg cutter, which he edged to the keeper for seven. Broad, buoyed by the confirmation that his foot injury was not as severe as he might have feared, produced one of his most skillful spells of the season. He manipulated the old ball with cut and cross-seamers alike, and a variety of angles on the crease. He finished with figures of 4 for 33 in 14 overs.
Adil Rashid was the other England bowler who starred in the innings by claiming four wickets, including the all-important wicket of Virat Kohli who scored 81 from 109 balls. The impressive display by England's bowlers reduced India to 204 in the second innings, thus restricting the lead to 404.
England's openers, Cook and Haseeb Hameed, put on a defiant display and successfully negotiated 50.2 before Hameed was trapped lbw by Ashwin for a 144-ball 25. Cook fell shortly after scoring his 50, which came from 171 balls. England scored 87 at stumps on day four and require another 318 runs to win the Test.
"We played with a lot of skill and a lot of fight this evening," Stuart Broad said. "Both openers showed great temperament. We would have taken two down at stumps going in. Fantastic day for us. We have shown a lot of skill apart from a disappointing hour on day two. We are still in this Test match. It will be great to sit and chat with those who batted this afternoon and take that into the next day. For me it was a decent time to bowl."
"The pitch offered me a little bit of bounce and a little bit of reverse. Yeah we have dragged ourselves back into the game. The foot is sore but I have got play a Test, haven't I? As a fast bowler you have got to have niggles. It just makes it worse that it is on the sole, being a fast bowler."
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