Jasprit Bumrah spearheaded India’s fightback with a fiery three-wicket haul, but Ollie Pope’s unbeaten century ensured England stayed in the contest on Day 2 of the first Test at Headingley. At stumps, England were 209/3, still trailing India by 262 runs after the visitors posted 471 in their first innings.
Bumrah struck early and late in the innings, dismissing Zak Crawley (4), Ben Duckett (62), and Joe Root (28) to briefly halt England’s momentum. The ace pacer gave India the breakthrough they needed after a brisk 122-run stand between Duckett and Pope threatened to tilt the game in England’s favour.
Having dismissed Crawley with a sharp delivery that clipped the off stump, Bumrah returned to end Duckett’s enterprising knock by uprooting his middle stump. He then got the better of Root for the 10th time in Tests, having him caught by Karun Nair in the slips late in the day. Bumrah also had Harry Brook caught off a no-ball, missing a chance to claim a fourth wicket.
Despite Bumrah’s brilliance, the day belonged to Ollie Pope. The right-hander looked assured from the outset, weathering the Indian attack and punishing anything loose. He reached his ninth Test century — and second against India — in 125 balls, laced with 13 boundaries. Pope was given a reprieve on 59 when Yashasvi Jaiswal dropped a catch in the slips off Bumrah, a moment that proved costly for the visitors.
Earlier in the day, India’s innings, which had resumed at 359/3, folded for 471. Despite a strong platform, they lost their last seven wickets for just 112 runs. Ben Stokes (4/66) and Josh Tongue (4/86) were the standout bowlers for England, triggering the collapse.
