India were all over England yesterday and the trend continued today too when Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami were operating in the first hour and both Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes found the runs difficult to come.
Then mayhem struck. Virat Kohli needled Bairstow on the wrong side. Bairstow who was struggling at 13 of 60 balls - I repeat 13 runs of 60 balls - went berserk after that animated chat with Kohli.
He suddenly found his timing and started hitting the Indian bowlers as if they were club bowlers.
Toying with them
Whether it was Shami, Siraj or Shardul Thakur, he just was toying with them and hitting them over the top and pulling them at will hitting boundaries and sixes galore.
Every over was going for almost ten runs and from 97/5 England who were going at 3.12/over in 32 overs to reach 200/6 in 45 overs at 4.39 hit 103 in the next 12 overs.
Thankfully for India the rain came down to their rescue and an early lunch was taken. It might help India to regroup again and see how they can stop this Bairstow juggernaut who has been going hell for leather.
Mind you coming in to this Test he has already hit two hurricane centuries and is in the form of his life and Indian bowlers will have to bowl smart to stop Bairstow taking the game away which is still in India’s grasp.
Time will tell what will happen after lunch but for now Jonny Boy is batting on 89 off 110 balls and India will have to plan well to get the better of him. For the moment all I can advise is "Don't mess with Jonny".
