Ind vs Eng 1st Test: India on top as Ashwin gets 4; England 285/9 at Stumps

Ashwin (4/60) registered his best figures in Test cricket across South Africa, England and Australia as the hosts lost six wickets for 69 runs in the third session of Day 1

In the first test of 5-match series, off-spinner Ravichandran Aswhin produced one of his impactful performance outside the sub-continent as Virat Kohli's India reduced England led by Joe Root to 285/9 at Stumps on Day 1 at Edgbaston cricket ground in Birmingham. Ashwin (4/60) registered his best figures in Test cricket across South Africa, England and Australia as the hosts lost six wickets for 69 runs in the final session of play to find themselves in a precarious position after opting to bat. Joe Root (80 runs off 156 balls, 9x4s) scored an unbeaten 41st Test half-century, but the English innings completely got derailed after his dismissal. After winning the toss and elected to bat first as England openers — Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings --  gave England a cautious start before R Ashwin cleaned up Alastair Cook in the 9th over of the day. Joe Root joined Keaton Jennings in the middle and consolidated England's position in the game with a 50-run stand before going for Lunch. After Lunch break Mohammed Shami removed Keaton Jennings and Dawid Malan in quick succession to bring India on top. Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root put over 100-run partnership for the 4th wicket before a mindless running between the wicket costs England Joe Root's wicket. Virat Kohli gave an animated send off to his counterpart Joe Root to add a dash of drama to the proceedings on the opening day. 

For India vs England 1st Test, Day 2 updates and England 1st innings scorecard click here

 

India vs England 1st Test, Day 1 Scorecard: England first Innings

In pics: Virat Kohli's celebration after running Joe Root out

Virat Kohli's animated send off to his counterpart Joe Root's dismissal added a dash of drama to the proceedings on the opening day of the first cricket Test between India and England. It was Kohli's send-off to Root that caught attention. Root was looking set to get a big one but a brilliant piece of fielding from Kohli saw the right-hander getting run-out for 80. Root tried to steal a second runoff Ravichandran Ashwin but Kohli ran quickly, picked up the ball and threw it in one swift motion to knock down the stumps with a direct hit. Kohli celebrated the dismissal with a 'mic-drop' send-off, something Root had done after guiding England to a 2-1 ODI series win against India last month.

India vs England 1st Test Day 1: Third Session; England 285/9 at stumps

At stumps, Sam Curran was batting on 24 with James Anderson for company.

In the final session of the day, India didn't begin well with England progressing as Jonny Bairstow (70 off 88 balls, 9x4s) brought up his 18th Test half-century off 72 balls.

In doing so, he put on 105 runs with Root for the fourth wicket.

Root and Bairstow got their runs off only 138 balls as England crossed 200 in the 62nd over and were looking set for a strong total before things unravelled in the most odd fashion.

It was the 63rd over of the innings when Virat Kohli's direct throw ran out Root as he tried to come back for non-existent double.

That dismissal changed momentum of the innings with England collapsing thereafter.

England lost three wickets for eight runs in the next 25 balls. First, Bairstow played on off Umesh Yadav (1/56) and then Ashwin trapped Jos Buttler lbw for a two-ball duck as England were rocked out of their comfort zone.

Sensing a kill, India never let go the pressure in the remainder of the session. Every time England tried to build a partnership, Indian bowlers struck back and it resulted in regular wickets.

Ashwin dismissed Ben Stokes (21) with a return catch in the 75th over as England were reduced to 243 for seven.

A 35-run partnership between Adil Rashid (13) and Curran raised visions of a fight back but Ishant Sharma (1/46) finally got return for his hard toil, trapping Rashid lbw with a sharp inswinger.

Ashwin then accounted for Stuart Broad (1), lbw too, but Anderson somehow managed to thwart his efforts for a five-wicket haul.

Earlier, Mohammed Shami struck twice in the second session before England skipper Root scored his 41st Test half-century to guide the hosts to 163 for three at tea.

India vs England 1st Test Day 1: Second Session; England 163 for 3 at Tea

• Mohammed struck twice in the second session before England skipper Joe Root scored his 41st Test half-century to guide the hosts to 163 for three at tea on the opening day of the first test match against India.
• At the break, Root was unbeaten on 65 while Jonny Bairstow was batting on 27 not out with England playing out 54 overs till now.
• Shami (2/27) bowled an incisive spell after lunch, dismissing Keaton Jennings (42) and Dawid Malan (8) as India piled on the pressure in the second session.
• Jennings was the first to go, but in an odd manner. Just prior to his dismissal, there was a pigeon near the pitch that distracted him and in the very next ball, he played on after the ball clipped his pads.
• It was a lucky breakthrough for India as their pacers found movement after the break. Ishant Sharma (0/37) and Shami bowled closer to the England batsmen and made them play more often with the latter reaping reward. England crossed the 100-run mark in the 36th over.
• Ravichandran Ashwin (1/33) had a loud lbw shout against Malan which was turned down as India lost a review.
• But Malan never looked comfortable against Shami, who trapped him lbw eventually in the 40th over. The ball was doing just enough, and even DRS didn't help the batsman.
• Bairstow though made sure that India didn't get an upper hand on the proceedings by adopting an attacking approach against Ashwin.
• Root, meanwhile, dropped anchor and ate up a lot more deliveries against the Indian pacers. His strike-rate dropped below 50, even as he completed his half-century off 107 balls.
• It was his 12th half-century against India in 12 successive Tests. In all, he put on 51 runs for the fourth wicket with Bairstow.
• Root also became the quickest batsman to 6,000 Test runs in terms of time from his debut when he reached the landmark.
• Root got to the landmark in five years and 231 days of his Test career, surpassing former England captain Alastair Cook's mark of five years and 339 days.

Keaton Jennings. Photo: Reuters

India vs England 1st Test Day 1: First Session; England 83/1 at Lunch

• England consolidated their position despite losing Alastair Cook early, reaching 83 for one at lunch on the opening day of the first cricket Test against India.
• At lunch, Keaton Jennings was batting on 38, while skipper Joe Root was unbeaten on 31 after England won the toss and opted to bat.
• Ravichandran Ashwin (1/13) was the only wicket-taker for India as he bowled Cook (13) with a ripper in the ninth over. The ball pitched on middle and turned away to knock back Cook's off-stump. Umesh Yadav (0/29) and Ishant Sharma (0/17) started off the proceedings for India with the new ball, and the latter in particular got a good shape going.
• Cook and Jennings, both left-handers, struggled against Ishant's away-going movement.
• Ishant induced an edge from Jennings when he was on 9 but the chance was dropped in the slips by vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane.
• To everyone's surprise, India captain Virat Kohli introduced Ashwin in only the seventh over of the morning, even before Mohammed Shami (0/17) and Hardik Pandya (0/6).
• The move yielded result instantly when Ashwin bowled Cook in only his second over to give India the breakthrough.
• It was the eighth time Ashwin had dismissed the left-handed opener in Test cricket.
• Root, however, started off well and struck a few lusty boundaries to shift the momentum in his side's favour.
• Shami came on as second-change bowler and bowled a tight first spell, albeit lacking enough penetration to get another wicket for India as England crossed 50 in the 16th over.
• Jennings played a few pre-meditated sweeps shots against Ashwin, but he settled down soon after a nervous start to add 57 runs for the second wicket with Root.

Here are the playing 11 of both the teams: 

India playing 11: Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, K L Rahul, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma

England Playing 11: Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Joe Root, Dawid Malan, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow Sam Curran, Ben Stokes, Adil Rashid, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.

In pics: How Ashwin got Alastair Cook wicket

India's show since their last series win in England
 
Under Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India twice failed to lift the trophy in England — first in 2011 and then in 2014. They received a 4-0 drubbing on the former occasion and lost 3-1 on the latter. In fact, India have won only six of the 57 matches they have played on English soil so far.
 
However, Virat Kohli and co will be buoyed by the fact that three of these six wins have come since 2002. India's assistant coach Sanjay Bangar was part of the Sourav Ganguly-led Test squad that won at Leeds in 2002.
 
Wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik was part of the 2007 series-winning squad of Dravid. Besides skipper Virat Kohli and Ishant Sharma, seven others in the current side were part of the teams that either toured in 2011 or 2014.
 
England's Test performance in recent past
 
England's form, particularly in the longer format of the game, has been a cause for concern in the recent past. Since September 2017, England have won only one of the nine Tests played against Australia, New Zealand, and Pakistan.
 
They have been beaten twice in their last five home Tests by West Indies and Pakistan. The sharp pace attacks of Pakistan and West Indies exploited the weaknesses in the English batting line-up, heavily dependent on Root, Jonny Bairstow and seasoned opener Alastair Cook.
 
India's record at Edgbaston cricket ground
 
When it comes to Edgbaston, India have no dearth of painful associated memories as far as Test cricket is concerned. Their record at Edgbaston has been rather dismal, with five losses in the six Tests played here since 1967. On the previous occasion when India played a Test here, in 2011, England opener Alastair Cook's masterclass guided the hosts to a thumping victory.
 
While picking the playing eleven this time around, Virat Kohli must avoid the mistakes made in the previous overseas tour of South Africa. There, the team management had backed an in-form Rohit Sharma over Ajinkya Rahane. This time, an in-form K L Rahul is bidding for a spot. Both Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri have maintained that as a third-choice opener, Rahul must wait for his chance. But the fit-again batsman's fine form might just compel them.
 
Cheteshwar Pujara's dismal record outside India
 
Cheteshwar Pujara's form has been a worry. Yet to get a half-century this first-class summer, he has managed only 172 runs in six matches at an average of 14.33 for Yorkshire. He scored a mere 35 against Afghanistan in Bengaluru, and in the practice game at Chelmsford, he managed 1 and 23. In 2014, too, Pujara had has a poor series with a score of 222 in five matches at 22.20. He, however, had drawn little negative publicity amid Kohli's own struggles (134 runs in 10 innings in 2014) as well.
 
When and where to watch England vs India, 1st Test 2018
 
Match date: 1 August - 5 August 2018
 
Match timing: 3:30 pm (IST), 10:00 am (GMT), 11:00 am (Local time)
 
Match venue: Edgbaston, Birmingham, England
 
India vs England 1^st Test 2018 live streaming details

India vs England 1st Test match will be broadcast on Sony Six, Sony Six HD in English Commentary. India vs England second T20Is will be available for live streaming on Sony Liv app. Tatasky subscribers can also live stream India vs England 1st match on Tatasky mobile app.
 
India vs England head-to-head comparison in Test matches
 
Total

Matches played: 117
 
India won: 25
 
England won: 43
 
Drawn: 49
 
In England
 
Matches played: 57
 
India won: 6
 
England won: 30
 
Drawn: 21
 
India vs England 1st test: Important stats 

• James Anderson is 10 wickets short of the 550 Test wickets. If he reached the 550-mark then he will become the 2nd fast bowler to take 550 or more Test wickets
• Stuart Broad needs 24 more runs to achieve the feat of 3000 Test runs. Amassing these runs, Broad will become the only 5th player to achieve a double of 3000 Test runs and 400 wickets in Test cricket.
• England skipper Joe Root needs 40 runs to reach 6,000 runs in Test match. Scoring these runs, Root will become the 15th Englishmen to score 6000 or more runs in Test cricket.
• Murali Vijay will become the 16th Indian to reach 4,000-runs mark in the history of Test cricket if he scores 93 runs in the match.

 
Here who said what and latest cricket news ahead of India vs England 1st Test match:
 
ICC wishes England on their 1000th Test: International Cricket Council (ICC) has sent its wishes to the England cricket team as they are gearing up for their 1000th Test match, to be played against India at Edgbaston from August 1. "On behalf of the cricket family, I want to congratulate England on their 1000th men's Test match, the first country to reach this milestone," ICC president Shashank Manohar said. "I wish England all the best in this historic match and may it continue to produce players and performances that inspire the following of Test cricket, the oldest and most demanding format of the game," he added. To commemorate the occasion, former New Zealand captain, Jeff Crowe, and member of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees will present a silver plaque to England and Wales Cricket Board Chairman Colin Graves before the start of the Test.
 
What is Michael Vaughan's message to England: Be angry and challenge Virat Kohli, urged former captain Michael Vaughan to an English side hosting an ambitious India, for long seeking to shed the poor travellers' tag, in a highly-anticipated Test series. Besides, the 43-year-old who opened for his country for almost a decade, wants the seasoned Alastair Cook to show consistency and skipper Joe Root to convert his starts into monumental knocks. Cook has played alongside the player-turned-expert in the beginning of his career. "Joe Root needs to hammer home to his men that they have a point to prove and try to replicate that angry England team that arrived at Headingley and hammered Pakistan in their last Test. Go back and say to the players: 'What were you thinking that first day at Headingley?," Vaughan wrote in the 'Daily Telegraph'
 
Patience could be key in fickle English weather, says India vice-captain Rahane: India's attack will have to show patience to take 20 wickets and in the fickle English weather, it could be a virtue for the batsmen as well, vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane said. "There is always help for bowlers in England, but that doesn't mean it is easier for the bowlers. They need to be patient and bowl in the good areas. They have to back their own skills instead of trying to take wickets from both ends" Rahane said. "It is a great opportunity for the bowlers to prove that we can take 20 wickets in a Test match consistently like we had done in South Africa. Nobody expected us to take 20 wickets in all three Test matches.
 
Dale Steyn to root for England in Test series against India: South African fast bowler Dale Steyn has said that he would be backing England in the upcoming five-match Test series against India as the hosts will be playing in their home conditions. "The advantage probably lies with England, obviously being at home and with such a long tour, it tends to become very long. India have been there for ODIs and are a very good touring team now. If I put my money, I will probably put it on England. But it is going to be tight," ICC-cricket.com quoted Steyn, as saying. "These are conditions that England are used to. Home series generally goes away with home sides," he added.
 
Kohli's extra motivation could prove to be dangerous for England, says Gooch: Former England captain Graham Gooch reckons Virat Kohli's "extra motivation" could prove to be dangerous for the home side in what will be a tight Test series due to the prevailing heat wave in the country. "He (Kohli) is a top-ranked player in the world at the moment and I think a dangerous customer for England as he has the motivation to improve his record in this country. Every player wants to be known to be able to play well in all sorts of conditions," Gooch told BCCI.TV in an interview. A discussion on Kohli led to inevitable comparison with his English counterpart Joe Root and according to Gooch, what sets the duo apart, is their ability to play match-winning knocks under any circumstances. "Well, they are both world class players across formats of the game. They are both match-winning players. I love watching Virat Kohli and Joe Root bat. They both play all around the wicket and they are both positive, very focused and I like to see that.
 
Rashid's selection in England test squad ridiculous, says Michael Vaughan: Former England captain Michael Vaughan on Thursday termed the selection of English spinner Adil Rashid for the upcoming five-match Test series against India as 'ridiculous.' Rashid's comeback in the larger format of the game raised many eyebrows as the bowler had, reportedly, stated that he would be concentrating only on ODI format. Moreover, the player has signed a white-ball-only contract with Yorkshire county cricket club. Vaughan took to Twitter and wrote that irrespective of whether the player is good enough or not, the decision is ridiculous. "So we have picked someone who cannot be arsed with 4-day cricket for the Test Team ... Forget whether he is good enough or not I find this decision ridiculous ... !!!," he tweeted.
 
Here is the squad of both the teams:
 
India squad: Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Rishabh Pant, Karun Nair, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.
 
England squad: Joe Root (c), Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Dawid Malan, Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Jamie Porter, Sam Curran, James Anderson, Stuart Broad.

Video: India practice session ahead of 1st test