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India vs England, 1st Test: 5 Talking points from day one

Sneha Singh

India's captain Virat Kohli celebrates taking the wicket of England's Joe Root for 80 runs on the first day of the first Test cricket match between England and India at Edgbaston in Birmingham, central England on August 1, 2018. (Photo: AFP)


The five-match Test series between India and England kick-started on Wednesday (1 August) at the Edgbaston, Birmingham.

On Wednesday after winning the toss, Joe Root invited Virat Kohli’s side to field first. Batting first, England’s upper order batsmen gave hosts a decent start as they were 163 for 3 at the end of the second sessions. However, Indian bowlers bounced back in the last session of the day and restricted England to 285/9 at stumps on the opening day of the first Test match.

Here are the talking points from day 1:

Virat Kohli’s send-off to Joe Root

Indian skipper Virat Kohli’s send-off to rival captain Joe Root was the most talked about the moment the first day. Joe Root was batting at 80 and he seemed quite settled when a brilliant fielding from Virat Kohli sent the 27-year-old English captain back to the pavilion. However, the run-out was not what caught the spectators’ attention but the celebration of Virat Kohli.

Here is the video:

 

Virat Kohli celebrated Joe Root’s wicket with a ‘mic-drop’ send-off — which was introduced in cricket by English skipper himself after guiding England to a 2-1 ODI series win against India last month.

Unlucky Keaton Jennings

Troubled Indian pacer Mohammed Shami was quite impactful on the first day with the ball. Shami bagged two crucial wickets for India to put visitors in the driver’s seat.

Shami’s first victim was English opener Keaton Jennings who was sent back in an odd manner. Mohammed Shami bowled a short-pitched delivery and Jennings tried to block it but got a faint inside edge. The bowl went through his leg and dislodged the wickets. After getting bowled Jennings looked back in disappointment.

Here is the video:

 

Alastair Cook and R Ashwin

On Wednesday, R Ashwin continued his dominance over star England batsman Alastair Cook as he once again removed him. R Ashwin was introduced in the attack by Virat Kohli in the first hour of the game and many eyebrows were raised over his decision. However, proving his skipper’s decision right, Ashwin bowled to Cook, the ball dipped, pitched on middle stump, ripped away, missed the front foot prod of Alastair Cook and collected the off stump.

Here is the video:

 

This is the 8th time in 12 innings when R Ashwin has dismissed Alastair Cook.

England collapse

On the opening day of the first Test, viewers once again witnessed England’s batting line-up getting collapsed after Joe Root’s dismissal. The hosts were 163 for 3 when they resumed their batting in the third session of the game. However, they failed to utilise the batting-friendly conditions at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground and were sent back to pavilion one after another.

The turning point of the day came in the 63rd over when Joe root was sent back for a brilliant run-out by Virat Kohli. After his dismissal, England was 216 for four and by the end of first’s day’s game, they were 285 for 9.

Joe Root completed 6,000 Test runs

Joe Root on Wednesday became 15th England player and fourth quickest player to score 6,000 runs in the longest format of the game. Root has taken 127 innings to reach this landmark.

Joe Root’s average in Test is 52 and he has scored 41 fifties and 13 centuries for Three Lions.

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