A brilliant partnership of 91 between Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul had almost sealed off a perfect start for India on Day 1 of the 1st Test between India and England at Leeds.
Put in to bat by Ben Stokes India batted beautifully as English Bowlers struggled to get a breakthrough. Both Jaiswal and Rahul defended magnificently and put away the loose balls with aplomb. Rahul, in particular, was brilliant with his drives. He took sometime at the start but then picked up exquisitely. Jaiswal too looked solid playing some fine straight drives.
England were trying their best but Jaiswal and Rahul were playing a chanceless knock. Post the first tea break, the scoring rate picked up as the England shoulders began to droop. But then arrived a late twist just at the stroke of Lunch.
Brydon Carse, who was probably the best bowler on show, enticed KL Rahul into another drive in the penultimate over before Lunch. The overpitched delivery swung late as Rahul went for it. The slight curl took the edge and Joe Root took a clean catch in the slips. The partnership had been broken by an unfortunate indiscretion from Rahul, exposing the debutant Sai Sudharsan to face a few nervy moments before the break.
The wily Ben Stokes deliberately set up a leg side field bowling on the pads of Sai Sudharsan. The nerves got to the debutant as he glanced one straight into the hands of Jamie Smith behind the stumps. Sai had been outfoxed for a duck on debut.
A session which was going all India’s way changed in a few moments has England forged a strong comeback, squaring up things before the break with India at 92/2.
Shubman Gill would commence his innings after the break for the first time as captain of the Indian Test Team.
Earlier in the day, Nitish Reddy missed out in the playing XI, as the Indian management preferred Shardul Thakur over him, while Abhimanyu Easwaran was again left out of the XI . The wait for Easwaran simply goes on.
Read Quick, Read Better @ rizkhan.in
Visit Sports FACTory YouTube Channel