India vs England, 1st Test: Joe Root's Classy Hundred, Sibley's Dogged Defiance Ensure England Dominate Opening Day

England were given a solid start by their openers, Rory Burns and Dom Sibley who made use of a good toss won by their captain, Joe Root who had no hesitation in batting first. Ishant Sharma was brilliant in his comeback Test and bowled with pace and fire making the ball swing in both directions but with no real help from the placid Chennai pitch he could not get India the breakthrough with the new ball. Jasprit Bumrah, playing his first Test at home almost had Burns off the first ball he bowled in India but Rishabh Pant dropped a tough chance diving to his right.

Local boy, R Ashwin, India's greatest match-winner with the ball at home in Test cricket, was introduced early in the 8th over giving the seamers a respite in the Chennai heat and humidity. England scored just 37 in the first hour of play but more crucially had seen off the best of India's attack without losing a wicket. Both Burns and Sibley looked confident and assured at the crease, defended well against pace and spin and did not show any signs of nerves playing against India in India.

They left well but also put away the rare bad deliveries. The pair soon brought up the fifty stand in the 20th over - it was England's first half century partnership in 10 Test innings. They could not have chosen a more opportune time to come together and provide a good platform for the likes of Root, Stokes and Buttler - the first day of the four-Test series.

The duo had taken England to 63 before Burns, against the run of play, attempted an audacious reverse sweep off the bowling of Ashwin only to glove a sitter to Pant. India had their first breakthrough.

Bumrah made it a twin blow for the visitors when he had Dan Lawrence plumb leg before wicket to a sharp incoming delivery just a couple of overs later. From what was England's session for the first one and a half hours suddenly became India's and the visitors went into Lunch at 67 for 2 in 27 overs.

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