England endured a day to forget as Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav spun India into a position of control on day one of the fifth Test.
The tourists collapsed from 100 for one to 218 all out with Ashwin – on his 100th Test appearance – and Yadav bamboozling an England line-up looking low on confidence.
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In reply, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma both hit half centuries as India closed on 135 for one, a deficit of 83.
The day started well for Ben Stokes’ men as they looked to end the tour on a high, despite India holding an unassailable 3-1 lead with one match to play.
Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett batted well to put on 64 for the opening wicket before the latter skied Yadav to cover for 27.
Ollie Pope’s struggles continued with 11 before Crawley’s well-made 73 was ended by Yadav.
Yorkshire pair Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow – another playing his 100th game in Test cricket – put on 38 before Bairstow was dismissed after a frenetic 18-ball 29.
That prompted a run of three wickets without the addition of a run as Root (26) and Stokes (a six-ball duck) followed.
Ben Foakes attempted to stop the rot with 24 but he lacked support as Ashwin mopped up the tail. Ashwin ended with four for 51 with Yadav claiming five for 72.
India trail by 83 runs at the close on Day One 🏏
Match Centre: https://t.co/jRuoOIp988#INDvENG | #EnglandCricket pic.twitter.com/JJsNAfoG9V
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 7, 2024
The success of India’s spinners must have given England encouragement given they avoided the temptation to pick a seam-heavy line-up.
However, Jaiswal continued his fine form, backed up by captain Sharma, as India made England’s attack look ordinary.
An early burst from James Anderson and the recalled Mark Wood failed to reap rewards while Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir could not find the same devil in the pitch as Ashwin and Yadav had done earlier.
Bashir did take the only wicket to fall, Jaiswal (57) advancing down the pitch only to miss the ball with Foakes whipping off the bails.
Sharma reached 52 by the close with Shubman Gill on 26 not out.
