England All Out For 226
Kevin Pietersen hit 71 but England looked short of a competitive total as India bowled them out for 226 in the second one-day match Faridabad.
On a slow wicket, Andrew Strauss (61) and Matt Prior (33) shared an opening stand of 66 after England won the toss.
Pietersen joined Strauss to add 64, and passed 1,000 career runs in his 21st innings to tie Viv Richards’ record.
But India’s spinners held sway with Ramesh Powar, recalled after missing the opening win, taking 3-34.
Pietersen, widely blamed for England’s opening defeat in Delhi on Tuesday after his dismissal sparked a collapse, played a mature innings, spanning 87 balls.
His dismissal came at a key time, though, as England still needed to up their pace and desperately needed an established batsman to do so.
After Andrew Flintoff’s departure Pietersen went on the offensive, with four fours and two sixes in seven overs.
He lofted spinner Yuvraj Singh for a straight six to reach 1,000 for his career then got out next ball, flicking to midwicket.
India bowled just 15 overs of seam-up, with Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj and even Gautam Gambhir - whose first ever international over cost 13 runs - all helping out.
Prior and Strauss struggled to set the pace early on, even though especially against the wayward Sri Sreesanth, whose first five-over spell cost 31.
Harbhajan was introduced in the 10th over, though, and immediately applied the brakes, even with the field up, prompting the Powar to join him.
Strauss should have gone in his first over but the portly off-spinner put down a simple return catch with the opener on 27.
It was left to Harbhajan to make the breakthrough, turning a quicker ball to surprise Prior, who was leg before trying to work to midwicket.
In the next over, the 17th, Owais Shah had reason to feel aggrieved to be given out for a duck, caught off his pad by wicket-keeper Mahendra Dhoni, running round to the leg slip area.
Pietersen could have followed straight away as he was put down by Suresh Raina as he looked to launch Powar over long on.
And it provided a salutary lesson to Pietersen, who went 64 deliveries without scoring a boundary, instead manipulating the ball into gaps all around the wicket.
The pressure was building, though, to convert a steady start into a competitive total as Strauss was bowled though the gate as he went down the pitch to Powar.
Flintoff started fluently but went on the attack to the 14th ball faced and was beaten with drift and stumped.
It was then up to Pietersen to take things from there and, once again, he did a good job without completing it.
