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Vaughan reckons Jadeja-less India 'gives England a sniff'

February 06, 2021 16:58 IST

Shahbaz Nadeem celebrates after dismissing Joe Root on Day 2 of the 1st Test on Saturday. Nadeem and Ravichandran Ashwin are the two spinners fielded by India in the first Test.

IMAGE: Shahbaz Nadeem celebrates after dismissing Joe Root on Day 2 of the 1st Test on Saturday. Nadeem and Ravichandran Ashwin are the two spinners fielded by India in the first Test. Photograph: BCCI

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan feels that the Indian team without Ravindra Jadeja in home conditions gives an advantage to the visitors.

The hosts are without the services of all-rounder Jadeja for the first two Tests of the four-match series against England as he is nursing a thumb injury he sustained on the tour of Australia.

"Think I may need to change my series prediction... !!! #India without @imjadeja in these conditions gives England a sniff ... Plus this England Test team are playing high quality Test cricket !!!#INDvENG," Vaughan tweeted.

 

India are playing with two spinners -- Ravichandran Ashwin and Shahbaz Nadeem -- in the opening Test. England have so far dominated with the bat in the first Test after winning the toss at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday.

On day two, Root and Stokes had saw off the first session on day two with ease as England managed to maintain their dominance. At the lunch break on day two, England's score read 355/3 with skipper Joe Root and Ben Stokes unbeaten on 156 and 63 respectively.

Resuming the second session at 355/3, Stokes and Root added 32 more runs, before Shahbaz Nadeem managed to send Stokes (82) back to the pavilion in the 127th over of the innings. The left-handed batter went for a slog sweep but he only ended up handing a simple catch to Cheteshwar Pujara, who was positioned at the backward square-leg.

Root and Ollie Pope further guided the team to the 400-run mark before Pope fell to Ashwin and Nadeem took out Root, and Ishant got into the act snaring the wickets of Buttler and Archer in quick succession with the tail exposed.

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