The stage was set at the picturesque Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala, where the Indian cricket team delivered a commanding performance on Day 1 of their fifth Test match against England. The Indian spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin decimated the English batting lineup, as they tore through the opposition to bowl them out for a modest 218. The Indian openers, Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal, further consolidated India’s position with an imposing start, propelling the team to a strong 135/1 at the close of play.
The early hours of the day saw English batter Zak Crawley put on a show, hitting an impressive 79 off 108 deliveries, but his efforts were in vain as no other teammate could surpass the paltry thirty-run benchmark. The English batsmen struggled to cope with the ingenuity of Kuldeep, who dismissed key players at crucial junctures. Supported by Ashwin’s four-wicket haul, the Indian spinners systematically disassembled the visitors’ batting order. Kuldeep emerged victorious with his career-best figures of five for 72, marking his 50th Test wicket in spectacular fashion.
Kudos to Zak Crawley, his quickfire innings did enable the visitors to dominate initially. England cruised to 100/2 after 25.3 overs. However, once Crawley departed in the 38th over, the English side began to crumble. Attempts by Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow to steer the ship towards stability were thwarted as they were quickly sent back to the pavilion in consecutive overs. Ashwin then stepped up to eradicate the tail, concluding England’s innings at 218 after 57.4 overs of play.
The English bowling contingent appeared bereft of ideas and strategies as they confronted a blistering batting performance from the young Yashasvi and the seasoned Rohit in the final session. Proving his mettle in only his ninth Test match, Yashasvi raced to his 1,000th Test run with a swift 57 off just 58 balls, including a repertoire of five boundary fours and three sixes. Sharma, on the other end, remained not out at 52*, providing India with an excellent finish for the day.
Yashasvi’s innings, his fifth fifty-plus score in the series, was highlighted with confidence and skill, dwarfing the efforts put forth by England’s bowlers. Meanwhile, Rohit asserted himself with a steady 52* off 83 deliveries, playing the role of the anchor and guiding India to a formidable position. The pair’s aggressiveness and flair had the English fielders scrambling and the bowlers struggling for control.
India’s lineup saw a single strategic alteration, introducing the uncapped Devdutt Padikkal in place of Rajat Patidar. By contrast, England, led by captain Ben Stokes, aimed to end the series on a high note but ended up being stifled by India’s spin web.
The day’s play concluded with India trailing by only 83 runs. Shoaib Bashir claimed the sole English wicket by dismissing Yashasvi, but the impact was minimal as the hosts ended Day 1 with a statement of their intent to dominate.
The completion of the day witnessed multiple milestones with Rohit joining illustrious captains like Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni in the elite list of scoring 1,000 Test runs. The day was not just a demonstration of India’s cricket prowess but also a testament to their strategic depth and adaptability on the field.
The Indian playing XI comprised Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Devdutt Padikkal, Ravindra Jadeja, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj. England’s battling lineup featured Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Ben Stokes (c), Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes (wk), Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir, Mark Wood, and James Anderson. With the series already in their pocket, India will look to tighten their grip as the Test progresses, while England regroups to mount a comeback.
