Manchester: Top order batsmen continued their horrifying batting display to leave India….at lunch on day one of the fourth test match against England here Thursday.
India failed to capitalise after skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni elected to bat on a juicy Old Trafford wicket, as pace spearhead James Anderson (2/21) and Stuart Broad (2/8) shared two wickets apiece to put the visitors in trouble at 8 for 4 in 5.1 overs.
On a bouncy and seeming wicket, Anderson and Stuart Broad wrecked havoc. They had all four Indian batsmen caught behind the wicket.
Playing a Test after nearly one-and-half-years Gautam Gambhir who was brought in place of out of form Shikhar Dhwan. Gambhir (4) was the first to go after being caught at gully by Joe Root off Broad. four runs.
Much was expected from Murali Vijay who is among the few Indian batsmen who have managed to score runs on this tour, but he too fell to a swinging delivery of Anderson without even scoring his account.
Kohli's terrible form continued he too went edging Anderson to slip without scoring.
Pujara also did not bother the scorer as he was caught at slip off Broad. He failed to open his score.
The visitors were given some breathing space by the fifth-wicket pair of Ajinkya Rahane and Dhoni, who stitched a 54-run partnership to raise some hopes of a recovery.
But just when it looked like the duo would take India to lunch without any more casualties, young medium-pacer Chris Jordan (1/8) broke the partnership to send Rahane out for 24.
At lunch Dhoni was unbeaten on 25. Giving him the company was Jadeja who has yet to open his account.
For England Anderson and Broad took two wickets each.
