India's Fielding Errors Cost Dearly on Day 2 vs ENG
Team India endured a nightmare start to Day 2 of the fifth Test against England at The Oval, as fielding errors and missed chances allowed the English openers to seize control. After being bowled out for 224, India added only 24 runs to their overnight total, falling well short of their target of 275.
England capitalized immediately, with openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley tearing into the Indian bowling. The pair added 92 runs in just over 14 overs, exploiting both the bowlers and sluggish fielding efforts. India looked off the pace, allowing opportunities to slip through their fingers—literally.
Two Missed Chances Add to India’s Woes
India’s fielding came under scrutiny after two major lapses. First, a glove deflection off Duckett lobbed in the air, but the slip cordon and Washington Sundar reacted too slowly, letting the chance go begging. A few overs later, Sai Sudharsan failed to react in time during a mix-up between Duckett and Crawley that could have led to a run-out.
These missed chances were costly, as Crawley brought up his fifty in just 42 balls, and Ollie Pope chipped in with a brisk 12 off 16 deliveries. England reached 109/1 at lunch, becoming the third-fastest team to score 100 against India in Test cricket, doing so in just 14.4 overs. The absence of key England players like Stokes, Archer, and Woakes made their dominance even more striking.
India will need to regroup quickly if they hope to salvage anything from this match, as England continues to pile on the pressure.
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