In a disappointing turn of events for Bharat, Rohit Sharma’s team dropped to fifth place in the World Test Championship (WTC) points table following their 28-run loss against England in the first Test of the ongoing five-match series. The defeat in Hyderabad resulted in a significant dip in India’s point percentage from 54.16 to 43.33.
Bharat had been enjoying a good run in the WTC 2023-2025, having drawn a two-match Test series 1-1 against South Africa. However, the recent loss against England saw them lose three spots in the rankings. In their previous five Tests, India won two, drew one, and lost two against South Africa and England.
Recapping the first Test in Hyderabad, Ollie Pope’s stellar innings of 196, along with the impressive debut performance by spinner Tom Hartley, led England to a 28-run victory at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Hartley’s slow left-arm orthodox spin took advantage of the low surface, using the rough to create uneven bounce and sharp spin, causing trouble for the Indian batters.
Bharat’s decision to promote Axar Patel to the fifth spot did not yield the expected results, as a momentary lapse in concentration led to his dismissal for 17. England’s skipper, Joe Root, played a crucial role, spinning the ball sharply to dismiss KL Rahul for 22. Despite Rahul’s unsuccessful review, Root’s delivery had trapped him right in front of the stumps.
The game took a decisive turn within 30 minutes, with Ravindra Jadeja, the hero of the first innings, falling victim to Ben Stokes’s remarkable effort in the field. England seized control of the match by taking four wickets in the session, restricting India to just 24 runs.
With this loss, Bharat faces a challenging task ahead in the World Test Championship, striving to regain momentum in the remaining matches of the series against England and climb back up the points table.
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