Ind Eng T 2 Day 2 Stumps: India Squander Rahul Dravid’s Century as Stuart Broad Records Hat Trick

On yet another day when it could have been said that India had won the day, the final session once again belonged to England as India will end the second day of the second Test of the India England series at Trent Bridge somewhat deflated after Rahul Dravid’s Test century and Stuart Broad’s six wicket haul that included a hat trick.

Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh at Trent Bridge

India depended heavily on the overnight partnership of Rahul Dravid and V.V.S. Laxman and for the most part, the partnership lived up to its reputation. The period before lunch saw India negotiate the tricky morning session as the duo build a 93 run partnership for the second wicket. India appeared to have overcome the disappointment of last evening as England fought back through Broad’s half century after India had reduced England to eight down for 124.

England’s first innings score of 221 seemed louder still as India lost their opener, Abhinav Mukund off the first ball yesterday evening and it was imperative that India did not give England an early reason to energize themselves. The two Indian veterans managed to keep England at bay, Dravid yet again continuing to thwart England’s efforts in his role as the make shift opener.

However, England did have their moments when they would have felt they had a foot in the door, particularly after V.V.S. Laxman was guilty once more of throwing away his hard work after a well earned half century. Much was expected of Sachin Tendulkar following his under par Lord’s Test with a viral infection. However, Tendulkar barely got a look in before Stuart Broad ended his uncomfortable stay, leaving India at 119 for three. Matters got worse for India as Suresh Raina left shortly thereafter with the score on 139 for four.

At a time when it seemed England were beginning to reap the worth of that last partnership, Yuvraj Singh, playing the Test due to the absence of Gautam Gambhir, joined forces with the defiant Dravid and together they managed to change the situation from one of possible peril to a degree of command as India overcame England’s first innings score with 128 run partnership for the fifth wicket. With Graeme Swann playing with an injured left hand and possibly affected his game and conceding runs, it seemed that India could successfully bat out the day.

However, India received a rude awakening as the door was left wide open following Yuvraj’s dismissal post tea, Broad’s first of the evening session. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian captain, became yet another Indian batsman who will rue the false shot he was forced to play because it meant that Broad was beginning to churn India with the new ball. The very next ball, Harbhajan Singh was given out to a lbw decision by umpire Marais Erasmus even though it appeared there as an inside edge. Broad achieved the first hat trick at Trent Bridge, Nottingham when he had Praveen Kumar’s stumps cleaned up. Dravid was finally forced to make things happen, losing his wicket for 117 runs as India ended their first innings on 288 all out, Broad picking up six wickets.

India will regret the fact that they lost their last six wickets for only twenty-seven runs, when their lead could have been much more than the sixty-seven runs they have to show for it. The extent of Jonathan Trott’s shoulder injury while fielding is still uncertain which means England still have the awkward lead to negotiate before they contemplate making India pay for a poor final session when they failed to negotiate Stuart Broad’s presence in this series thus far.