Pope makes gutsy century before Bumrah late show

First Rothesay Test, Headingley (day two of five)

India 471: Gill 147, Pant 134, Jaiswal 101; Stokes 2-66, Tongue 4-86

England 209-3: Pope 100*, Duckett 62; Bumrah 3-48

England are 262 runs behind

Scorecard

Ollie Pope's gutsy century led England's resurgence only for Jasprit Bumrah to give India the crucial wicket of Joe Root late on day two of the first Test.

Pope, preferred to rising star Jacob Bethell at number three, repaid England's faith with 100 not out at Headingley.

The ball after Pope completed his century, Bumrah had Root caught at first slip to leave England 209-3 - all three wickets falling to the pace maestro.

England are 262 adrift of India's 471, a total that should have been much greater.

Despite Rishabh Pant completing a thrilling century, the tourists lost their last seven wicket for 41 runs. Captain Ben Stokes and Josh Tongue claimed four wickets apiece.

Under a brooding sky - play was held up for 40 minutes by rain - England were faced with the threat of Bumrah, who promptly had Zak Crawley caught at slip.

Bumrah was electrifying, but England dug in through a stand of 122 between Ben Duckett and Pope. Duckett was dropped off Bumrah, Pope edged the same bowler through the slips.

Duckett fell for 62 to Bumrah's second spell, in which Pope was dropped at third slip by Yashasvi Jaiswal on 60.

In the evening sunshine, Root overturned being given lbw. Bumrah was summoned for one more spell. Though he could not prevent Pope's milestone, he snatched the bigger prize of Root.

Incredibly, there was still time for Harry Brook to be caught off a Bumrah no-ball. It was a heart-stopping end to an engrossing day.

England were flattened on the opening day, forced to chase leather after gifting away the advantage of winning the toss.

Beginning on 359-3, India should have batted England out of the contest and then unleashed Bumrah late on.

Instead, the tourists offered a route back in with loose dismissals and dropped catches, and England, chiefly Pope, played well enough to grab the opportunity. Their batting was sensible, rather than cavalier, yet the hosts stills scored in excess of four an over.

The conditions in which England had to start their innings, ideal for bowling, further highlighted just how good Friday had been for batting. When Bumrah had the ball, every delivery was an event and on another day he could have had an even bigger haul.

For all the talk of the toss and Bumrah's brilliance, England have a foothold in the match. On a sluggish pitch that looks full of runs, the home side may be vindicated in a fourth-innings chase.

For now India retain the upper hand through their lead and the presence of Bumrah. It could turn into a classic.

Despite a modest record against India, the most important innings of Pope's Test career - 196 in Hyderabad - downed the same opponents 18 months ago.

Given the debate around his place, the match situation and the threat of Bumrah, this was the best hundred he has made at home. It was the Surrey man's third in successive home Tests and his ninth overall.

Pope's strength, scoring behind square on the off side, was also a vulnerability. He edged Bumrah between third slip and gully on 10, then should have been caught by Jaiswal.

Duckett had 15 when he cut Bumrah to point, the chance spilled by the usually reliable Ravindra Jadeja. Reprieved, Duckett drove through the covers and pulled anything fractionally short.

Batting looked much more straightforward when Bumrah was out of the attack and Duckett fell via an inside edge when he returned. His replacement, Root, was given leg before to Mohammed Siraj on seven, only for the review to show it was missing leg stump.

Bumrah began his third spell. Pope, on 99, inside edged a single and leapt in celebration. Headingley had barely settled when Root was drawn into a poke to first slip and departed for 28.

In the final over, Brook inexplicably tried to pull Bumrah and miscued to mid-wicket. He was saved by umpire Chris Gaffaney raising his arm to signal the third no-ball of the over.