India vs England 2021, 3rd Test Day 1: Talking points as Ashwin-Patel’s bowl magic and Rohit Sharma’s half-century put Team India in commanding position
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The pink-ball day-night Test match at the Narendra Modi Stadium began with coin favouring the visitors in utmost hospitality. Winning the toss, Team England decided to bat, and the decision backfired as their wickets were scalped at regular intervals and finally bundled for a low score of 112 runs on the board.
Team India dominated the first two sessions of Day 1 with the ball, and the last session witnessed the rule with the bat. The opening day of the third Test saw the falling of 13 wickets.
As Team India finished the day 99-3, with 13 runs to trail, here we look at the highlights from the day’s play.
Zak Crawley’s fifty
Opening batsman Zak Crawley was the only one among the batting unit who showed signs of confidence facing the pink ball. He found a little support from England skipper Joe Root in the middle overs before the latter departed. Soon after Root’s dismissal, Crawley fell prey to a leg-before-wicket on Axar Patel’s bowling and returned after scoring 53 runs. He hit ten fours in his innings.
Spin show by Axar Patel
Gujarat’s local boy scintillated in his hometown as he scalped six English wickets besides maintaining a whopping economy of just 1.8. Besides, Ravi Ashwin, Patel’s partner in spin crime, toppled three England wickets, maintaining an economy of 1.6.
Rohit Sharma’s half-century
Sharma simply aimed to repeat what he did during the first innings of the second Test in Chennai, i.e. consolidate with the bat and get India to a good score on the board. He remained unbeaten at 57 runs and has smashed nine fours.
Jazzy Jack Leach
England’s left-arm spinner wreaked havoc much like Team India’s Axar Patel. Though Leach went a little expensive as he meandered an economy of 2.7, he got two significant wickets- Cheteshwar Pujara (0) and Virat Kohli (27).
Also read: India vs England 2021: Axar Patel looking to capitalise on great start in Test cricket
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Sahil Sethi
(278 Articles Published)