Birmingham: England Skipper Ben Stokes had the final say as him and Indian opener Yashasvi jaiswal exchanged words on Day 1 of the second test here at Edgbaston on Wednesday.
Stokes again proved his worth as a Test-match partnership-breaker by denying dangerman Yashasvi Jaiswal his second hundred of the series.
India were 182-3 at tea on the first day of the second Test after Jaiswal had fallen for 87, with the tourists looking to level the five-match series at 1-1 after last week’s five-wicket loss at Headingley.
Jaiswal was closing in on a century after another dazzling display of stroke-play when the left-handed opener cut flat-footedly at a short and wide ball from all-rounder Stokes, bowling from around the wicket, only to edge a poor delivery straight to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
It was a tame end and meant Jaiswal was unable to match his excellent 101 at Headingley — a game England won as they made light of chasing 371 for victory.
The 23-year-old’s exit also saw the end of a third wicket partnership of 66 with India captain Shubman Gill that had taken the tourists to 161-3.
The Exchange:
In a video posted by the official broadcaster Star Sports on social media platforms, Jaiswal paddled one down the mid-wicket to grab a quick single. While he almost reached the non-strikers end, Stokes says something, which was not clear.
The Indian batter, known for taking-on the mighty Starc in Australia didn’t sit down quietly in England either. He was heard replying, “You don’t want to hear from me, come on.”
The exchange reignited again at the end of the over with Stokes going at Jaiswal again. However, the incident did not stop the left hander as he reached his fifty the very next over.
Nevertheless, Stokes came back stronger in the 46th over to dismiss Jaiswal 13 runs short of a century.
