Kumar and Shami frustrated England with their half-centuries and record-breaking 111-run partnership

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

India’s pace duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami ended up being heroes on the second day of the first Test against England in Nottingham as they both scored half-centuries.

Kumar and Shami’s record-breaking 111-run partnership also stole a majority of the spotlight.

Starting out the day on 259/4, India opener Murali Vijay and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni managed to convert their 81-run partnership into a 126-run partnership before Vijay was given out lbw off the bowling of James Anderson.

Vijay’s dismissal stirred up some controversy as the ball hit him on the thigh pad and was shown to be going over the stumps. However, with no DRS in the series, the decision stuck.

Vijay’s magnificent knock of 146 came off 361 balls and included 25 boundaries and a six.

All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja made 25 runs before he was caught behind off the bowling of Ben Stokes.

Dhoni went on to score 82 off 152 deliveries, which included seven boundaries before he was run out by Anderson.

Debutant Stuart Binny only made one run before he was caught by Joe Root at point off the bowling of Stokes.

Ishant Sharma also mustered one run before he was clean bowled by Stuart Broad.

Following Sharma’s dismissal, the most incredible thing occurred. Kumar and Shami amassed a 111-run partnership, during which both batsmen registered their maiden half-centuries, before Kumar was caught by Root at mid-on off the bowling of Moeen Ali.

Kumar’s fantastic knock of 58 came off 149 balls and included five boundaries.

Shami was left stranded on 51 off 81 deliveries, which included six boundaries and a six, as India were bowled out for 457.

Kumar and Shami’s partnership went down in the history books as India’s highest last-wicket partnership against England in Test history.

Anderson was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Stokes and Broad snapped up two wickets apiece and Ali and Liam Plunkett chipped in with one wicket each.

Trailing by 457, England got off to an awful start as captain Alastair Cook was bowled by Shami for five runs when the ball ricocheted off his thigh pad and into leg-stump.

There was no more drama for the rest of the day as Gary Ballance and Sam Robson put together an unbeaten 34-run partnership before stumps was called.

Robson finished on 20 off 48 balls, which included two boundaries, while Ballance remained undefeated on 15 off 46 deliveries, which included one boundary.

Shami was the only bowler to take a wicket.

England ended day two on 43/1 and will continue batting tomorrow at 11:00 local time or 10:00 GMT.