India v England Second Test Report Card, Day Two

Featuring evidence, commentary shoes and Bumrah's yorker

Evidence
Grade: C+

There’s lots of talk about Bazball. Lots and lots of talk. Like, lots of it. 

Fair enough, too. It’s had tremendous success, despite its demise being predicted on multiple occasions. “Let’s see how it goes against Australia.” “Let’s see how it goes in India.” “Let’s see how it goes against the 1980s West Indies.” And so forth.

But let’s put aside all the scepticism and hyperbole, and examine the facts.

Here are the evidence-based things that Bazball doesn’t work against:

1. South Africa at Lord’s

2. Teams following on

3. Nathan Lyon

4. Manchester rain

Everything else? Seems to work fine. 

After a session of the second day of this second Test, any hopes India had of extending that list to include them seemed dashed. 

Then Jasprit Bumrah popped in with that gorgeous smile of his to say ‘hello’.