Spinning ball beats bazball

Ashwin needs only 11 deliveries to make his presence felt on Day 1 while Jadeja and Axar also help evaporate England’s dreams of a massive total before Jaiswal ends day with 76 not out

If Act One is anything to go by, we are in for an exciting seven weeks. An entertaining opening day of the five-Test series on Thursday ended with India significantly having the better of the exchanges at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, replying to England’s 246 all out with a promising 119 for one on the back of an attacking unbeaten half-century by Yashasvi Jaiswal.

For all the talk about how much the surface would assist spinners, England should rue not making better use of good batting conditions. There was turn, but it was neither exaggerated nor frequent. The bounce was true and there was value for strokes —as many as 365 runs came in less than 90 overs.

The visitors sought to impose themselves through openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, who ticked off boundaries against Mohammed Siraj around a frustrating (for India) play-and-miss routine. The 50 was raised in the 11th over when the first twist arrived as Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin came on in the ninth and tenth overs respectively.

Also Read: 'Jaiswal has taken to Test cricket like a fish to water': Ashwin

India’s Ravindra Jadeja (right) with teammate Axar Patel after the dismissal of England’s Tom Hartley. Pic/PTI

Ashwin needed only 11 deliveries to make his presence felt, trapping Duckett in front to trigger a slide of three for five in 21 deliveries. Joe Root, stoically, and Jonny Bairstow with greater flair, thwarted India while putting on 61 with enough sweeps on view—there would be plenty of the conventional and reverse sweeps on view from top-scorer Ben Stokes— when India came surging back after lunch through Axar Patel.

Playing his first Test in nearly 10 months, the left-arm spinner produced a dream delivery that drifted in, pitched on leg and turned past Bairstow’s outside edge to hit off pole. But as a rule, only the odd ball turned substantially but not at any great pace. Having lived by the sweep, Root perished by it too, top-edging Jadeja to short-fine leg, and Axar rounded off an excellent, extended 13-over burst by packing off Ben Foakes.

At 137 for six, the end appeared nigh when the admirable Stokes masterminded England’s fightback. He allowed Rehan Ahmed and debutant Tom Hartley to express themselves during stands of 18 and 38 respectively, then came into his own in Mark Wood’s company. Reserving Jadeja for special punishment—his last spell read 5-1-45-1—Stokes pulled England past 200 and to nearly 250 when the persevering Bumrah came up with a peach that cut away from the England captain and hit middle.

Jaiswal made his intentions clear from the off, whipping Wood through square-leg off the first ball of the innings and depositing Hartley’s first ball in Test cricket over midwicket for six. Rohit Sharma was becalmed only in comparison as his younger part hogged the strike and the scoring; 80 came in 75 balls when Rohit fell to Jack Leach, trying to clear the straight field and only skying to deep mid-on, but Jaiswal and the obdurate Shubman Gill took India to stumps without further damage.

Brief scores
England 246 all out (B Duckett 35, B Stokes 70; J Bumrah 2-28, R Jadeja 3-88, R Ashwin 3-68, A Patel 2-33) v India 119-1 (Y Jaiswal 76 batting)

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