Ashwin Spun England To Put India In Command

In England's 1000th Test match, skipper Joe Root and wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow were taking the game away from India before Ravichandran Ashwin (4 for 60) and Mohammed Shami (2 for 64) fired back on England and left them with 285-9 from 216-3 at the close of the day one of the first of the 5-match series.

Ashwin was the star with the ball. He first gets the opener Alastair Cook with a beauty before getting Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, and Stuart Broad. He mixed the variations in his bowling that helped him getting those wickets. Mohammed Shami supported Ashwin with a tight spell at the other end.



Earlier in the day, it was Joe Root who had won the toss opted to bat first on a damp pitch. Cook and Keaton Jennings opened the innings for England. Both the batsmen paid Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma well as there was not much movement from the pitch. Skipper Virat Kohli was quick to understand that the pitch is not offering much to the pacers, and he put Ashwin in the bowling in just 6th over. He proved the decision right in his just second over as he bowled out Cook on the score of 25. Cook made 13.

After the dismissal of Cook, Jennings and Root took the charge. Both the batsmen put on a 72-run stand for the second wicket before Shami got Jennings. Jennings was unlucky to get out as the ball took inside edge of his bat before hitting on to his bat and to the stumps. He played a good 42-run inning. David Malan also fall cheaply to Shami as he couldn't hold Shami's fast inswinger and got LBW out after scoring just 8 runs.

However, Root and Bairstow didn't allow India to take control of the game and safely took the game on to Tea break with 163 for 3. After the Tea break, both the batsmen attacked on the bowlers and runs started flowing. When things were looking good for England and miserable for India, a direct throw from Virat Kohli dismissed Root after scoring brilliant 80. Root's wicket was the turning point of the day one as England lose the tempo after that. Bairstow who was well set went for an expensive cut to Umesh Yadav and chopped on. He played a quick knock of 70.



England's new vice-captain, Jos Buttler came to the crease and did last long only for two balls as Ashwin got him LBW on a flighted delivery. Ben Stokes also couldn't hold for long and became Ashwin's third victim of the day. Sam Curran and Adil Rashid added 35 for the 8th wickets before Ishant Sharma collects his 1st wicket of the day by dismissing Rashid on 13. Stuart Broad was the last man of the day to be dismissed as he became a 4th victim of Ashwin. Curran and James Anderson safely negotiated rest of the remaining day as England finish on 285 for 9 at the stumps.

Earlier in the day on the toss, India surprisingly left out Cheteshwar Pujara from the final playing XI and played with three specialist openers, Murali Vijay, KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan.

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