India finished on top after Day 1 of the third Test of their series against England, at Motera, Ahmedabad. After Axar Patel (6-38) and R Ashwin (3-27) bowled out England for 112 inside two sessions, India finished Day 1 on 99/3. At the crease are Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane, and with the extra all-rounder in the line-up, they should eye a sizeable lead on Day 2. Here are some key takeaways from Day 1. Ashwin, Axar demolish England with illusion of spin
Ishant honoured
This is Ishant Sharma’s 100th Test match. Ahead of the match, he was felicitated by Ram Nath Kovind, the Indian President. The Indian team celebrated the occasion with a guard of honour while taking field. Ishant rose to the occasion, bowling one just short of a length to Dom Sibley. The ball moved away after pitching, took Sibley’s edge, and went to Rohit Sharma at third slip.
Axar arrives
The Indian team management managed to raise a few eyebrows by picking three spinners for the Test match despite the general success of the seamers with the pink ball. Virat Kohli introduced spin as early as in the seventh over. Axar’s first ball pitched on a length on middle stump. Jonny Bairstow played for the turn that was never there, and was given out leg-before.
Ashwin bowls a peach
The Indians spinners bowled 37.4 out of 48.4 and took nine wickets out of ten, but of them, Ashwin’s ball to get Ollie Pope stood out. Bowling from round the wicket, Ashwin pitched the ball on leg stump. The ball then drifted away. As Pope played down the wrong line, the ball beat his bat and hit the top of off-stump.
Gill survives
Stuart Broad bowled on off stump, Shubman Gill edged to Ben Stokes at second slip, and Anil Chaudhary ruled Gill out. But Gill stayed put, and television umpire Shamsuddin found conclusive evidence to overturn the decision. The English camp was not happy, some of them visibly so.
Too quick for Rohit
Pumped up by after the wicket of Gill, Jofra Archer now let one loose at Rohit. The ball was short, Rohit positioned himself for the pull, realised the ball was too quick, and pulled away. But the ball grew on him, took the top edge, soared over the wicketkeeper’s head, and landed just short of the boundary ropes. Archer merely smiled.
Anderson does not get Kohli; again
James Anderson had not managed to dismiss Kohli since the latter’s torrid England tour of 2014. He had a chance today, when he extracted extra bounce in the dying moments of the day. A surprised Kohli almost managed to take the bat away but could not. The ball flew to gully, where Pope grassed the chance.