KL Rahul and Shubman Gill engineered a vital rescue act for India in the fourth Test of the ongoing five-match series against England. The visitors were looking down the barrel after losing a couple of wickets for no runs on the board in the very first over of their second innings. Chris Woakes struck twice to get rid of Yashasvi Jaiswal (0 off 4) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (0 off 1).
The seasoned Rahul and the skipper saw off the early threat of the new ball under slightly overcast conditions at Old Trafford perfectly well to further extend their partnership. The two batters scripted history once they surpassed the team 100 by the 40th over. It was only the third time in world cricket that a batting duo had carved out a 100-plus stand for the third wicket after a team was 0/2.
Three 100+ partnerships in Tests after teams were 0/2
3. Archie MacLaren and Stanley Jackson — 102 runs vs Australia (Lord’s, 1902)
Bert Hopkins struck twice to dismiss C.B. Fry and KS Ranjitsinhji. Electing to bat first, England were yet to open the scoring in the second Test of the five-match series at Lord’s. The first wicket to fall was that of Fry, who was caught at short leg in the second over of the game, which had a delayed start due to rain. Hopkins’ second breakthrough came in his second over, the innings’ fourth.
Stanley Jackson joined skipper Archie MacLaren at the crease after Ranjitsinhji was bowled off his pads. The match had to be briefly halted before the first runs were scored due to a rain interruption. The players were off the field once again after a spell of showers when the score had reached 19. The umpires decided to resume proceedings briefly after.
The two batters battled valiantly in bad light to provide minimal chances to Australia to take their wickets. Stumps was called with the score at 102/2. MacLaren stood unbeaten on 47* while Stanley brought up his half-century (55*). There was no further play possible during the next couple of days, after the level of water in the ground had almost submerged half of it in the next two days.
