Moeen Ali, England spinner has said pacer Mark Wood fully deserved his wickets in the ongoing second Test against India here at the Lord’s Cricket Ground.
Mark Wood went on to dismiss Indian batsmen Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Cheteshwar Pujara in the second innings to put the visitors on the backfoot.
Moeen Ali Pleased For Mark Wood Saying He Fully Deserves His Wickets
With the forecast dry the spectators will see India resume their second innings on 181 for six with the potentially electric Rishabh Pant at the crease on 14 but Ishant Sharma, the first of four candidates for No 11, alongside him. India lead by 154 runs and, whatever the final target, England face a tense run chase on a dozy pitch that still occasionally bursts into life.
This was the case during the final session of the fourth day. An afternoon of dead-batted defiance from Cheteshwar Pujara, 45 from 206 balls, and Ajinkya Rahane, 61 from 146, was followed by a three-wicket intervention that keeps England in the hunt to reward Joe Root’s masterful 180 on the third day with a 1-0 series lead. Mark Wood was the instigator here before a late tumble in the deep ended his day with a potential shoulder injury.
“I was very pleased for him (Wood). He was telling me in the first innings that he doesn’t get the wickets he would like, and I said these things can happen and they will come. The way he bowled was fantastic and it was a great catch by me at deep square leg!
“He fully deserved his wickets and the wicket of Pujara was massive. The way he ran in and banged the wicket with a softball on a dead wicket. I thought he was fantastic,” Moeen Ali said during a virtual press conference.
“It’s a fantastic Test match. It’s great for me personally to come back and to be a part of it, and hopefully tomorrow morning we can bowl them out and chase the runs down. They’ve got Pant, but we’ve got Jimmy,” he added.
Moeen Ali forecasted the new ball would prove decisive in settling the second Test between England and India after Sunday’s see-saw fourth day at Lord’s left the match intriguingly poised. India was 181/6 in their second innings, a lead of 154 runs when bad light forced an early close.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were both disappointing with the bat in the second innings after being dismissed for 21 and 20 respectively. While Rohit Sharma was sent back to the pavilion while playing his favoured pull shot, Virat Kohli chased a wide delivery bowled outside off.
Moeen Ali: It Takes A Full Team Effort As A Bowling Unit
Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara scored 61 and 45 respectively as India ended Day 4 at 181/6 and the visitors have extended their lead to 154.
“The chat in the afternoon was just to hang in there, basically. Don’t try and search too much, just stay in there and something will happen. They came back strong and played really well, but I thought we still managed to contain them really well. We knew if we could get one out we could go bang-bang,” said Moeen.
“We are a bowling unit. Jimmy got five in the first innings, Woody and I got a few each. It takes a full team effort as a bowling unit, and that’s what we’ve been in this game,” he added.
While Mark Wood returned with 3/40 bowling 14 overs, Moeen Ali picked 2/52 bowling 20 overs. The other wicket went to Sam Curran who got the prized scalp of Virat Kohli. Stuart Broad, England pacer missed the remainder of the Test series against India after tweaking his right calf during a warm-up at the Lord’s in London on Tuesday. The pacer had taken alone wicket against India in the opening Test.
Stuart Broad’s injury opened up a place for Mark Wood to enter the playing XI as he joined the likes of James Anderson, Sam Curran, and Ollie Robinson. For England, Haseeb Hameed and Moeen Ali entered the playing XI against India.