Siraj's fiery spell sparks India fightback after England's opening blitz

Mohammed Siraj's inspired, large-hearted eight-over spell helped India claw their way back with six wickets in the afternoon session on Day 2, after a difficult morning that saw them bowled out for 224 and then concede a whirlwind 100 inside 15 overs.

India made subtle but crucial adjustments after lunch; they pitched the ball half a metre fuller, bowled straighter and finally got the conditions to work for them. Prasidh Krishna, sharing the new ball with Akash Deep, struck in his first over of the session, getting Zak Crawley to miscue a pull off a ball that climbed on him and took the top edge.

Siraj replaced Akash and made an immediate impact, striking with his fourth ball. Ollie Pope was trapped in front by an in-ducker that came in sharply. Joe Root, who looked uneasy and had already exchanged words with Prasidh, also fell LBW, unable to bring his bat down in time to a length ball that jagged in. Siraj then produced a stunning inswinging yorker from over the wicket to trap Jacob Bethell plumb on the boot.

Siraj's second spell read: 8 overs, 3 wickets, 35 runs and a false shot percentage of 31.2.

Prasidh came back to end the session like he began it, getting extra bounce on a length delivery that Jamie Smith could only edge to KL Rahul at second slip. In the midst of the collapse, Harry Brook remained unfazed, reaching 33* and punishing anything too wide or short.

Earlier in the day, it was all England. India lost their final four wickets for just 20 runs in 29 minutes, with Gus Atkinson completing his five-wicket haul. Washington Sundar fell to a short-ball trap, Siraj was bowled and Prasidh edged behind, all undone by deliveries they had little answer to. Karun Nair was the first wicket to fall, pinned LBW by Josh Tongue. India's overnight total of 204 for 6 became 224, and most of the runs came through edges and extras.

England's reply was brutal. Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley came out blazing, taking the pitch out of the equation. They brought up the fifty in just seven overs, the joint-fastest team fifty in a first innings against India and by lunch, had surged to 109 for 1. It was also the third-fastest team hundred against India in Test history, scored at nearly seven an over in conditions still offering bounce and seam.

Despite the help on offer, India's bowlers looked out of rhythm. Crawley used his reach, Duckett used his feet and angles, and together they went past the 932 runs tallied by Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss, the most by an England opening pair against India.

Duckett's defining moment came early, when he edged Akash in the fourth over only to see it fall between backward point and gully. Next ball, he reverse-scooped Akash over the slips, a stroke played earlier in a Test innings than any since Sam Konstas vs Bumrah at the MCG last year. Ironically, it was the same shot that brought about his dismissal, again off Akash, but not before England had already posted 92. Crawley kept going though, reaching a 42-ball half-century, his 19th in Tests and third of the series, before his dismissal post lunch allowed India a way back into the match.

Brief Scores: India 224 (Nair 57; Atkinson 5-22) lead England 215/7 (Crawley 64, Duckett 43; Prasidh Krishna 3-51, Siraj 3-66) by 9 runs