Watch: James Anderson nicks off Ajinkya Rahane with gorgeous away-swinger

Watch: James Anderson got the second day of the second England-India Test off to the perfect start for the hosts, nicking off Ajinkya Rahane with his first ball of the day.

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India had ended day one three wickets down, but lost two wickets early on the following morning, with KL Rahul only adding two runs before falling for 129 to Ollie Robinson in the first over of the day, and Anderson adding the wicket of India’s vice-captain soon after, with his first delivery curving away in the channel outside off-stump and taking the edge through to first slip.

While Rahul received a standing ovation as he walked off for his first day efforts, Rahane’s dismissal only increased the pressure on his place in the side. He now averages 19.21 in 14 innings in 2021, with a high score of just 67. With Rahul having surely cemented his place in the side and Mayank Agarwal due to return to full fitness ahead of the third Test, there are those who feel it is Rahane who should make way to accommodate the top-order batsman.

For Anderson, it was simply his supreme form continuing. While he was an injury doubt coming into this Test, he has done more than anyone to keep England in it, with his twin dismissals of Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara the first steps towards dragging his side back into the contest.