Ben Stokes sweeps the Indian tail with his brilliant fifer, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett get off a flying start for the hosts, which puts the bazball in a strong position at the end of day 2. Rishabh Pant scores a brave fifty with a fractured leg, showing courage and character. Let’s look at the records being shattered.
Rishabh Pant’s resiliency
Rishabh Pant got injured on his toe, by the slow yorker of Chris Woakes. Rishabh Pant got retired hurt and couldn’t even walk back to the pavilion as he was carried in a buggy. Today, he walked out to bat after Shardul Thakur’s wicket.
He couldn’t run for quick singles, but added valuable 17 runs and completed his half-century. This is his 9th fifty-plus score on English soil. He now holds the most fifty-plus scores as an Indian wicket-keeper in England, a record previously held by MS Dhoni, who has eight fifty-plus scores.
He also broke another record of MS Dhoni for most fifty-plus scores as an Indian wicket-keeper in SENA test matches. This is Pant’s fourteenth fifty-plus score in SENA conditions, where MS Dhoni had thirteen. He smashed two sixes in this innings and become the batter with second most sixes for India in test cricket. H eis just two hits away from becoming the first.
Most sixes for India in test cricket:
- Virender Sehwag – 91
- Rishabh Pant – 90
- Rohit Sharma – 88
- MS Dhoni – 78
- Ravindra Jadeja – 74
- Sachin Tendulkar – 69
He is in the eigth place in the overall list. Most sixes in Test cricket:
- Ben Stokes – 133
- Brendon McCullum – 107
- Adam Gilchrist – 100
- Tim Southee – 98
- Chris Gayle – 98
- Jacques Kallis – 97
- Virender Sehwag – 91
- Rishabh Pant – 90
- Angelo Mathews – 90
- Rohit Sharma – 88
- Brian Lara – 88
Rishabh Pant has hit 38 sixes against England in tests. This is the second most sixes hit by a player against a particular opponent in this format.
Most sixes by a player against a particulat opponent in tests:
- Ben Stokes – 39 vs Australia
- Rishabh Pant – 38 vs England
- Sir Vivian Richards – 34 vs England
- Ben Stokes – 30 vs South Africa
- Tim Southee – 30 vs England
- Yashasvi Jaiswal – 28 vs England
- Imran Khan – 28 vs India
Bazball unleashed
India were all out for 358 in the first innings. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett opened the innings for England. They stuck to their usual bazball style. Indian bowlers disn’t utilize the new ball well. They tried too much looking for extra swing ended up giving boundaries on leg side.
They both made a solid partnership of 166 runs in just 32 overs. Jadeja gave the breakthrough for India by dismissing Zak Crawley. This is the third highest opening partnership for England at Manchester.
Highest opening stands for England at Manchester:
- Graham Gooch & Mike Atherton – 225 vs India ( 1990 )
- Peter Richardson & Colin Cowdrey – 174 vs Australia ( 1956 )
- Zak Crawley & Ben Duckett – 166 vs India ( 2025 )
- Marcus Trescothick & Mike Atherton – 146 vs Pakistan ( 2001 )
- Willie Watson & Peter Richardson – 126 vs New Zealand ( 1958 )
Overall, it is the fifth highest opening partnership at this venue. Highest opening stands at Manchester:
- Graham Gooch & Mike Atherton – 225 vs India ( 1990 )
- Syed Mushtaq Ali & Vijay Merchant – 203 vs England ( 1936 )
- Bob Simpson & Bill Lawry – 201 vs England ( 1964 )
- Peter Richardson & Collin Cowdrey – 174 vs Australia ( 1956 )
- Zak Crawley & Ben Duckett – 166 vs India ( 2025 )
Captain’s spell by Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes unleashed his best version with the ball in this series. He has taken 16 wickets so far bettering his previous best of 15 wickets in the 2013-14 Ashes test series. He took his fifth fifer in test cricket, becoming the first England captain to take a fifer in Manchester.
Overall, he is the 10th English captain to take a fifer in test cricket. English captains with a fifer in tests:
- Gubby Allen
- Arthur Gilligan
- Bob Willis
- Joe Root
- Aubrey Smith
- Johnny Doughlas
- Freddie Brown
- Stanley Jackson
- Ray Illingworth
- Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes is the fifth English captain to pick a fifer at home conditions after Bob Willis, Ray Illingworth, Arthur Gilligan, Gubby Allen and Stanley Jackson.
Also Read:Â ENG vs IND: Ben Duckett’s Stellar Knock Highlights England’s Dominance On Day 2