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India's ace spinner Kuldeep Yadav selected the wicket of Zak Crawley as his highlight from Day 1 of the fifth Test against England in Dharamsala, highlighting it as his most memorable. Kuldeep acknowledged Crawley's proficiency against spin and mentioned that it took a special delivery to dismiss him, which he successfully executed.
Kuldeep delivered a masterful ball to take Crawley's wicket, preventing him from reaching a century on the opening day of the fifth Test in Dharamsala on Thursday, March 7. Crafting a delivery that veered outside off-stump, Kuldeep enticed Crawley, who was batting at 79 off 108 balls, into attempting a drive. The ball spun sharply, catching the England batsman off-guard and ultimately striking his leg stump.
This is how Kuldeep trapped Crawley
Since the Ranchi Test, Kuldeep has displayed exceptional skill with the ball, a fact underscored by achieving his fourth five-wicket haul in Test cricket during Day 1 of the Dharamsala Test. Reflecting on the dismissal, Kuldeep recognized Crawley's threat at the wicket but was equally quick to laud the extraordinary spin he managed to impart on the ball.
Kuldeep Yadav dubs Zak Crawley's wicket his favourite
"I liked the Zak Crawley wicket... I mean, he is someone who has batted really well throughout the series, and he's a good player of spin, and to get him out, You have to produce some magic on the field. And that was a beautiful ball," Kuldeep told Sports 18.
“I am enjoying my game. To be honest I put a lot of hard work after my surgery in 2021. It’s just the reward I am getting now. I worked on my pace, it’s very important when you play a Test match in India,” Kuldeep said after the end of Day 1's game.
England's batting collapse
Despite getting off to a solid start in the fifth Test on Day 1, England's batsmen failed to capitalise on their decision to bat first upon winning the toss. The Indian spinning pair, R Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav, tore through the English lineup, with only Crawley managing to score above 30 runs. After a promising position of 170 for 3 by the end of the second session, England was dismissed for a total of 218 runs.
The aggressive "Bazball" strategy that England has adopted was heavily criticized following its ineffectiveness in this series, drawing negative reactions from fans and cricket legends alike. With Ashwin taking 4 wickets for 51 runs and Kuldeep achieving 5 wickets for 72 runs, England's difficulty in handling India's bowling attack was evident once more. India has further dampened England's aspirations for a consolation victory in the final Test, having already secured the series 3-1 with their win in Ranchi. England now looks to make a comeback in the Dharamsala Test, aiming to gather crucial points for the World Test Championship. With India's opening pair, captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, still at the crease and trailing by only 83 runs at the close of Day 1 in Dharamsala, India is in a strong position to extend their dominance.
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