Inspired Pandya reignites the series

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Under leaden skies and with the series on the line, an extraordinary intervention from Hardik Pandya has changed the complexion of this series and left India in total control after two days of typically freewheeling and gripping Test cricket.

Pandya is a mercurial talent for whom Virat Kohli has an enormous amount of faith. Today the world got to see why.

At Trent Bridge on the second afternoon he grabbed the ball and, furiously rubbing the side of it against his thigh, swung it at pace and jagged it off the seam to rip England’s middle order apart as, for the third time in two years, England lost all 10 wickets in a single session.

It’s a concerning statistic. But whereas Mirpur in 2016 was a raging turner, and Auckland earlier this year the first session of a day-nighter following a scarring Ashes tour, this latest collapse afflicted a team which had won its last three Tests, and one seemingly at ease in their own conditions.

The turnaround was all the more astounding considering what had gone before.

Indeed, as day two dawned, and four wickets fell in a heap to the ageless wiles of James Anderson and Stuart Broad – taking India’s overnight 307/6 to 329 all out in less than an hour’s cricket – the mood among those who favour the visitors may have been a little downcast.

In particular, hopes would have been high that Rishabh Pant’s chutzpah would underscore a second-morning counterpunch. But Pant, having opened his Test account on day one with a lofted six down the ground, would last just four overs before a loose drive diverted a Broad inswinger onto his stumps.

With Pant’s wicket opening the door, England’s champions swung it off its hinges, a brace of unplayable late-swinging deliveries on a devilish length seeing off first Ravichandran Ashwin and then Jasprit Bumrah.

Emphatically England’s morning. And yet, upon Bumrah’s wicket, Virat Kohli could be seen allowing himself a smirk from the dressing room window. One suspects it was not just amusement at seeing his No.11 outskilled by England’s greatest-ever; Kohli is learning fast about the uniqueness of English conditions, and he may well have seen in the prodigious movement enjoyed by Anderson something his own seamers could exploit.

It was barely in evidence initially, however. England went to lunch in fine fettle, 46/0 from nine erratic overs from Bumrah and Mohammad Shami as the movement in evidence from England’s quartet vanished in a clump of long hops and long half-volleys.

After the interval, the flood. It began when Ishant Sharma was belatedly handed the ball, immediately locating the fuller length that such conditions demand, and finished in a last-wicket stand of 33 as Jos Buttler tried in vain to drag England back into it.

The facts of the collapse are staggering. England lost nine wickets for 74 in 21 overs. All out for 161, from 54/0. The follow-on only just avoided.

Alastair Cook, having already survived one chance to Cheteshwar Pujara at first slip, was the first to go, unable to cover the swing to give Pant the first of five catches on debut.

Bumrah then disposed of Keaton Jennings, prodding away from his body, before Sharma induced Ollie Pope to feather a legside catch off the glove.

Three-down and with the game suddenly on a knife-edge, Pandya seized the cherry, and thereafter both ball and game swung dramatically.

Joe Root went first, edging to second slip where KL Rahul took a smart catch at his bootlaces. Next was Jonny Bairstow, pushing hard at an outswinger, Rahul grabbing his second. Chris Woakes was then bounced out (Pant taking an excellent one-handed catch above his head), before Adil Rashid nicked off, and Stuart Broad went back to a full one. It had taken just 29 balls. Pandya had his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket, and India the ascendancy.

This was Pandya’s seventh straight Test and his tenth overall. His average with bat and ball bookends the thirties, but at the wrong end for someone with genuine claims to call himself an authentic Test match all-rounder. Trent Bridge has seen why Kohli has such belief in his man.

Much of the rest of the day played out in easy sunshine, reminding England’s batsmen of what they were missing out on. Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan shared a boisterous 60-run partnership before Rahul was bowled by Ben Stokes, whose return to the side has been muted so far. Dhawan played nicely to post his highest score of the series, before, six runs shy of his half-century, he ran at Rashid and missed the googly.

Kohli and Pujara eased India to the close, 292 ahead. With eight wickets in the hutch and more cloudy conditions expected through the rest of the match – and it should stay dry – Kohli will feel his team are in the perfect position to reassert themselves in this series.

Only once has a side come back from 2-0 down to win a five-match Test series and that team was captained by Don Bradman. Only the very best even dare to believe they can replicate the game’s true immortals. Kohli will believe tonight.