The pitch has no demons in it. That’s what one would say after watching Yashasvi Jaiswal’s fiery knock in the last session on Day 1 of the Hyderabad Test. As expected, the pitch assisted the spinners but English batters lacked application as they managed to post 246 on the board after Ben Stokes won the toss and opted to bat first.
Indian pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj were not effective with the new ball as England's openers looked to attack. India's veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin got rid of Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett to push England on the back foot. Crawley scored 20 runs whereas Duckett contributed 35 runs from 39 balls. Ravindra Jadeja joined the party too with the wicket of Ollie Pope.
Early in the second session, Axar Patel broke the partnership between Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow in the 33rd over. Bairstow got bowled by Patel after scoring 37 runs from 58 balls. A couple of overs later, Jadeja made Root his second victim of the day. He scored 29 runs from 60 balls and surpassed Sachin Tendulkar's tally of most runs in India versus England Test encounters.
Ben Foakes tried to form a partnership with Stokes but was drawn forward by Patel just enough to sneak an outside edge. Rehan Ahmed negotiated the spinners well before Jasprit Bumrah ended his stay at the crease. On debut, Tom Hartley looked to score quickly. But he could score only 23 runs at almost run-a-ball before getting bowled by Jadeja.
With Mark Wood on the other side, Stokes decided to take the attack to the spinners. In the third session, he hit Jadeja for two consecutive sixes and reached his half-century. Then Ashwin got the wicket of Wood. Stokes hit a couple of boundaries before getting bowled by Bumrah with a beauty of a delivery. He scored 70 runs from 88 balls including six fours and three sixes. England were bowled out for 246 from 64.3 overs.
In reply, Jaiswal came out all guns blazing. He hit the first ball of the innings by Wood for a boundary. Then he hit left-arm spinner Hartley for a massive six to welcome him to Test cricket. He hit another six in Hartley's first over. Skipper Rohit attacked as well and India crossed the 50-run mark in just 39 deliveries. In the 12th over, Jaiswal reached his half-century from 47 balls with a boundary.
Jack Leach got the much-needed breakthrough. He dismissed Rohit for the fifth time in Test cricket. Rohit's miscued lofted drive was caught by Stokes. He scored 24 runs from 27 deliveries in the 80-run partnership. Meanwhile, Stokes exhausted England's all three reviews. Shubman Gill took his time and played the defensive role. Jaiswal hit Rehan for a six as well. At the end of the day's play, the opener remained unbeaten for 76 off 70 deliveries including nine fours and three sixes. On the other end, Gill scored 14 runs from 43 balls. India are trailing by 127 runs with 119/1 on the board from 23 overs.
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