Nottingham, July 30 (IANS) Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh’s unbeaten 76-run stand guided India to 215 for four, just six runs behind England’s first innings total, when tea was taken on day two of the second cricket Test at Trent Bridge here Saturday.
Dravid was batting on 83 and looked set for his second hundred of the series while Yuvraj was at 43 after being dropped on four early on in a session where India collected 98 runs in 30 overs. Sachin Tendulkar (16) and Suresh Raina (12) were the batsmen to be dismissed.
Tendulkar, who was expected to scored his 100th ton in international cricket after failing in the Lord’s Test, slashed hard at a Stuart Broad delivery only to give a regulation catch to England captain Andrew Strauss at first slip.
Raina also fell while trying to hit the ball too hard. The southpaw, attempting a square cut on a short James Anderson delivery, was caught by Eoin Morgan at backward point.
Dravid and Yuvraj steadied the ship afterwards and ensured India go into the final session with an upper hand in the match.
Dravid, 38, again showed great patience and determination against a potent pace attack and played second fiddle to Yuvraj after performing a similar role with V.V.S. Laxman (54) in the morning. The Karnataka batsmen struck 11 boundaries and most of them came in the third man area.
Yuvraj, dropped by Kevin Pietersen off Broad early on, played his natural game and was quick to put the balls away. The left-hander, however, was tested by some high quality swing bowling from the trio of Anderson, Broad and Tim Bresnan. But he negotiated them quite well and was brave enough take a rising Bresnan delivery on the chest.
India had scored 117 for two till lunch courtesy a sublime knock from Laxman.
