India Vs England: Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara Script Apt Response To Formidable Total

Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara in action during India vs England 4th Test.

India trailed England by 254 runs at stumps on Day 2 of fourth Test, as Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara stitched an unbeaten 107-run stand

Reported by NDTV Sports

Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara batted with elan as India gavea fitting reply to England’s first innings total of 400 on the second day of the fourth Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Friday.

Thanks to Vijay (70*) and Pujara’s (47*) unbeaten 107-run stand, India ended Day 2 on 146/1, trailing the visitors by 254 runs.

After a late assault by Jos Buttler (76) helped England put up a big total, Indian batsmen gave a good account of themselves on a pitch that offered turn to the spinners.

Though opener KL Rahul was out for 24, Vijay and Pujara ensured that there were no more hiccups for the host on the second day.

England tried seven bowlers, including four seamers, but apart from Moeen Ali nobody could scalp a wicket.

Earlier, Buttler was involved in a 54-run ninth-wicket stand with Jake Ball that frustrated the hosts’ bowlers.

India were once again left looking for a formula to do away with the last three England batsmen after Ravichandran Ashwin (6/112) and Ravindra Jadeja (4/109) had done away with the England middle-order at lunch.

Things began to look good for India in the initial stages as Ashwin duly claimed another five-wicket haul, claiming Ben Stokes.

Ravindra Jadeja then removed Chris Woakes and Adil Rashid in quick succession, raising hopes that India would be able to wrap the innings up rapidly.

But the England lower order had other ideas, and as the innings progressed, a poised Buttler and an exuberant Ball kept Virat Kohli and his men in the field for longer than they would have wanted to.

Finally, Buttler was bowled by Jadeja as England notched up 400.