Kuldeep mesmerizes England as India hold the aces on day 1 of 5th test v England

 

India dominated on the first day of the Test at Dharamsala.  First the bowlers and then the batters showed their strength.  India's three spinners took all 10 wickets of England's first innings.  Kuldeep Yadav took 5 wickets.  100th test playing  Ravichandran Ashwin took 4 wickets.  England's first innings ended on 218 runs.  Later, Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal scored half-centuries.  Both the openers would have been at the crease at the end of the day if Jaiswal  hadn't been out after playing a rash shot.

 However, the day started in favour of England.  Ben Stokes won the toss.  and decided to bat first.  Jaspreet Bumrah's ball was swinging a bit at the start.  But  the bounce at the crease was low, the English openers were not having any problem handling it.  Jack Crawley and Ben Duckett were waiting for the loose balls.  They were not afraid to play big shots if they got a ball at the base of the bat. Crawley was particularly fluent in his dazzling drives . As a result, runs were increasing.

 After the first spell of the two pacers, Rohit gave the ball to the spinners.  First Ashwin.  Later Kuldeep.  Ashwin's ball was played carefully by the two England openers.  as they didn't take the risk.  But Duckett went to play a big shot in the first over of Kuldeep.   Shubman Gill took a brilliant catch after running a bit behind .  Duckett returned for 27 runs.  Crawley was playing well.  Ollie Pope accompanied him.  Crawley increased the pace of the runs .  Ashwin was hit for a huge six in front of the wicket.  Crawley scored a half century before lunch.  Kuldeep gave England another blow just before the break.  Pope was stumped after 11 runs when he left the crease ,  played and missed. Since his outstanding matchwinning knock of 196 in the 1st test  , Pope has had a below average series 

After the lunch break, the picture of the game changed.  Kuldeep dismissed Ollie Pope just before the break.  He could have got a wicket with the second ball after the break.  His ball hit the edge of Jack Crowley's bat and rose into the air.  Sarfraz Khan jumped and caught.  The umpire did not give out.  Although Sarfaraz appealed a lot, Rohit did not take the review.  It was later found that Crawley was out.

 However, Kuldeep did not have to wait long to get Crawley out.  His ball was outside the off-stump and then hit the wicket between Crawley's bat and pad as it spun viciously.  Crawley was dismissed for a superbly made  79 runs.  Going into his 100th Test, Johny Bairstow started with a big-shot mentality from the start.  He also hit two sixes.  But could not last long.  Kuldeep got him out after Bairstow ,playing his 100th test scored  29 runs.  Wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel took a good catch.

 Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Joe Root in the next over as the ball hit straight on the pad.  Root scored 26 runs.  England captain Ben Stokes failed once again in the current series.  He could not read Kuldeep's bowling . Stokes was LBW on the back foot for no runs.  England lost three wickets for 175 runs and Kuldeep was looling dangerous, bowling skillfully with guile and variations .

 Ashwin also took wickets after Kuldeep, Jadeja.  He dismissed Tom Hartley in his 100th Test.  Good catch by Devdutta Padikkal.  Mark Wood was dismissed in that over.  England had a chance to get all out before the tea break.  But it did not happen as two catches were missed.  Ashwin took the remaining two wickets after the break.  England were all out for 218 runs.

It seemed that India's openers would also have problems on this pitch.  But actually the opposite picture was seen.  Rohit and Jaiswal started the game with a positive mindset from the start.  No one was in a hurry.  They were playing sensibly by watching the ball .  Rohit looked more aggressive.  He also hit an imperiously hooked six off Mark Wood.  The two openers were gradually advancing the team's score .

 As the game progressed, Jaiswal opened up.  He scored his half century.  He scored at least one fifty in five Tests of the current series.  After that, he couldn't control his aggressive instincts anymore.  Shoaib was hit for two consecutive fours by Jaiswal and on the third ball Jaiswal left the crease and went to smash it but missed completely and was stumped . He returned for 57 runs and looked dissappointed.  Jaiswal has surpassed Kohli and reached 712 runs for the series after this knock.  He is only 63 runs behind Gavaskar's all time record in a single series  of 774 runs . He will get only one more opportunity to surpass it if India chases a 130 plus target in the 4th  innings 

 Rohit, however, was in no hurry.  He slowly completed his half century.  He was accompanied by Shubman Gill.  They play till the end of the day.  At the end of the first day, India were 135 for 1.  Rohit batting on 52 and Shubman 26 runs.  Although India are still behind England by 83 runs, they will start the second day's play with 9 wickets in hand.  So it can be said that India holds all the aces  on the first day.