London: James Anderson struck twice, including taking his 100th Test wicket at Lord’s, as England remained in command against India on Sunday.
India were 17 for two in their second innings when rain forced an early lunch on the fourth day of the second Test, facing a huge deficit of 272 runs.
Anderson removed India openers Murali Vijay and KL Rahul on his way to figures of two wickets for eight runs in five overs.
Cheteshwar Pujara was five not out and Ajinkya Rahane one not out, with India captain Virat Kohli unable to bat in his regular number four position because of back stiffness.
It now seemed further rain was India’s best hope of avoiding a defeat that would leave them 2-0 down in this five-match series.
Anderson, England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker, started on Sunday on 99 Test wickets in 23 Tests at Lord’s following his first-innings haul of five for 20 in India’s meagre 107 all out.
As in that innings, Sunday’s overcast conditions were ideal for the 36-year-old Lancashire swing bowler.
And having bowled Vijay for nought in the first innings, it was not long before Anderson had him caught behind by wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow for his second duck of the match.
Rahul square-drove Stuart Broad for four, but he fell for 10 when, playing across the line, he was lbw to Anderson.
His exit gave Anderson, fifth in the all-time standings, his 551st Test wicket.
Anderson was now just 12 shy of the 563 Test wickets taken by Glenn McGrath.
The Australia great has taken the most Test wickets by any paceman.
The top three places all belong to spinners, with Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan leading the way on 800 Test wickets.
But with the remainder of this innings and three more Tests against India to come, Anderson could overtake McGrath before the end of this series.
England resumed on 357 for six, already 250 runs ahead of India’s meagre first-innings 107 all out.
Chris Woakes, recalled for this match after fellow pace-bowling all-rounder Ben Stokes was omitted because of an ongoing trial for affray, was then 120 not out, with Sam Curran unbeaten on 22.
Curran pulled Mohammed Shami for six before his 49-ball 40 ended when he sliced Hardik Pandya to Shami at third man.
Woakes faced 177 balls including 21 fours, ending the innings unbeaten on 137.— AFP
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