London, July 23(ANI): Team India, reduced to three specialist bowlers in the absence of injured fast bowler Zaheer Khan, had their hero in fast bowler Praveen Kumar who took a five-wicket haul on the second day of the Lord's Test against England.
Moving the ball disconcertingly through the air at times at no more than medium pace with a low-slung action from an economical run-up, Kumar deservedly won a place on the Lord's honours board in only his fourth Test.
The 24-year-old, however, said that he had not planned specifically for the England batsmen, and was bowling the same way as he did on the first day on Thursday.
"It was just a little different today because I was putting in more effort while bowling," said Kumar later at a news conference.
Kumar's performance of 5-106 from 40.3 overs was all the more creditable as conditions were in favour of the batsmen with the sun shining, the pitch full of runs and little in the way of support.
He also insisted that he was not daunted by the number of overs he had been asked to bowl.
"When we came here for the Test match, in the first two days, we were a little uncomfortable with the wicket, but then eventually got used to it. So, it did not really make much difference," Kumar said.
England finished with a first-innings total of 474 for eight declared, while India survived the final half hour of the day to reach 17 for no wicket.
It has set the stage for Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, who needs one more century to become the first man to complete 100 international hundreds. (ANI)
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