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A student works hard to score well, & he deserves all the praise but the teacher in behind who taught him the maths, must also be given the mention he's due for.

News agencies around the globe filled their columns with how Zaheer, RP Singh & Sreesanth (now to be known as Sree Santh) brought our team back into this 1st India vs England test match at Lords - taking remaining 6 English wickets for just 26 runs, but what changed them over-night? The same rookies were wayward on Day 1, but Day 2 morning (coupled with another new ball after 80 overs) proved too hot to handle for the likes of Pietersen, Bell, Matt Prior & rest of the England tail. Reason was the loving teacher - Venkatesh Prasad.

'Venky the Lanky' as his team mates addressed him during playing days, is now the bowling coach of India. With batting line-up packed with 4 champions - it's no overstatement to say that Venkatesh Prasad is one man behind the curtains curing the Indian causes. Start of Day 2 got delayed by 2 & 1/2 hours through rain, which allowed Venky to teach his juniors the first lesson of taking wickets - ATTACK THE STUMPS!

And so they did. one got bowled, one played onto stumps, three got LBW & Kevin Pietersen, who was dismissed twice by Zaheer Khan, was caught behind off a good ball going very close to the stumps. A ball near the stumps has to be played by the batsman, & English conditions do the rest of swing & seam.. Venky must have give the dose to young seamers from India - who did the job on field they didn't on first day.

Then, Indian batting started. 298 is an encouraging first innings score, but you always need good starts in test matches. India didn't. Ryan Sidebottom & James Anderson swung the new ball both ways, two pick Dinesh Kaarthik & Captain Dravid cheaply. Wasim Jaffer was given a life by playing this Lords test, & then got the 2nd life when keeper Prior dropped him.

From then on, with other Mumbai Maestro Sachin Tendulkar - he redirected Indian first innings & marched towards some sort of lead. Problem occured when Indian batsman got overly slow in scoring. They played the overs, but runs weren't coming. Finally, Tendulkar missed a straight one from Anderson, while Jaffer later scoped on for Chris Tremlett to get caught & bowled. That was Tremletts first test match wicket, but England had made the early inroads.

Chasing 298 for 1st inn lead, Indians are 145 for 4. People might believe it's 50:50 in for both the teams, but I'll give 5% advantage for England, cause they're at home. And have the runs on board whereas Indian need to do work hard on Day 3, which will again be rain delayed & full of swing & seam.

Scores at end of Day 2
England - 298 all out.
India - 145 for 4 in 57 overs.
Kaarthik 5, Jaffer 58, Dravid 2, Tendulkar 37.
Sourav Ganguly on 25 & RP singh on 5 at the crease.

A Note :
-This was best score by Tendulkar at Lords. His previous best was 31.

India vs England One day series - 2006.

Watch India England test match highlights on doordarshan

England in punching mood, India in confusion

India turn 0:100 to 30:70 with late wickets on Day 1

Its 55:45 for England as India rise on Day 2.