Bharat dominated England in the first session of the fourth Test match at JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi. England, choosing to bat first after winning the toss, faced a challenging time as Bharatiya bowlers took control of the dry pitch, resulting in England losing five wickets by lunch.
The opening pair of Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett struggled to establish a substantial partnership, managing only a 47-run stand. Debutant Akash Deep made an impressive start by claiming Duckett’s wicket for just 11 runs in the 10th over. Duckett could only muster one boundary in his innings.
Akash Deep continued to trouble the English batsmen, dismissing Ollie Pope for a two-ball duck in the same over. Crawley, the other opener, showed resilience but eventually fell to Deep’s bowling after scoring a promising 42 runs, which included six fours and a six.
The Indian spinners also made significant contributions, with Ravichandran Ashwin reaching a milestone of 100 Test wickets against England by removing Jonny Bairstow for 38 runs. Bairstow’s aggressive innings comprised four fours and a six but was cut short by Ashwin’s bowling.
Ravindra Jadeja joined the wicket-taking spree by dismissing English captain Ben Stokes for just 3 runs. India’s bowling attack restricted England to a total of 112/5 by the end of the first session.
Akash Deep emerged as the standout performer for India, claiming three crucial wickets while conceding 24 runs. Jadeja and Ashwin also put up commendable performances, giving away only 28 and 17 runs respectively.
With Bharat firmly in control at lunch on day one, England faces an uphill task to recover and post a competitive total in the ongoing Test match. The match promises further excitement as both teams look to assert their dominance in the remaining sessions.
Comments