IND vs ENG, 1st Test: Ollie Pope Dropped at Slip by KL Rahul in Second Innings

English batsman, Ollie Pope made 196 runs to help England put up a score of 420 runs on the board in their second innings of the first Test against India at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday as the visitors set India a target of 231 runs to chase.

Pope, who has been the only centurion in the game so far, lived a charmed life as he was dropped by Indian player KL Rahul at slips when the English batter was on 186.

England won the toss and opted to bat first as India bowled out the tourists for 246 runs as Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja scalped three wickets each in the first innings of the game as spin troubled England.

English skipper Ben Stokes starred with the bat for the visitors as he top-scored with 70 runs off his willow in the first innings.

Team India put up a score of 436 runs in reply as opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, wicketkeeper-batsman Rahul and Jadeja all scored in excess of the 80-run mark individually. It was Joe Root who emerged as England’s most prolific bowler on the day as he ended the first innings with four scalps to his name.

India held a 190-run lead as England came out to bat in their second innings with Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett building a 45-run stand for the first wicket before Ashwin sent Crawley back to the hut.

Pope came out to bat as the tourists steadily chomped down on the Indian lead. Duckett and Pope put up a 68-run partnership before Duckett fell prey to pacer Jasprit Bumrah.

Wickets fell in quick succession as Root, Jonny Bairstow and Stokes were sent back to the dugout before England could get past the 170-run mark and still trailing.

However, Pope held crease and was aided by supporting knocks by Ben Foakes, Ahmed Rehan, and Tom Hartley as England navigated their way past the Indian total.

Pope nearly got his double-ton but was dismissed by Bumrah, who ended with four wickets in the second innings as England finished at 420 with a lead of 230 runs.