India vs England Day 1 HighlightsIndia vs England (IND vs ENG) 1st Test Day 1 Highlights: Opting to bat, England finished the first day of the opening Test against India on Friday at 263/3, with Joe Root staying unbeaten on 128. Dominic Sibley and Root put on a 200-run partnership between them which stretched across all sessions of the day. It was finally ended by Jasprit Bumrah off the last ball of the day.
The India-England cricket series starting on Friday in Chennai marks the first international sport in India since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. India is coming off a remarkable comeback series win in Australia with a depleted squad, and will have back captain Virat Kohli after a six-week paternity leave. Kohli amassed 655 runs in five Tests against England when it last visited in 2016-17, leading India to a 4-0 win. A 2-1 or better win would put India in the inaugural world Test championship final against New Zealand in England in June. England need a 3-0 win to stand a chance of making the final.
1st Test, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, 05 Feb, 2021
That is the end of Day 1. Sibley's wicket was the last ball of the day. Root stays unbeaten on 128. Stokes will probably join him when Day 2 starts tomorrow. For today, it was the mammoth 200-run stand between Root and Sibley which has dominated so far. Bumrah got Sibley's wicket but by then it had been 390 balls of frustration for the hosts.
ENG 263/3 at stumps
The yorker! The inswinging death knell from hell! Bumrah has struck! The umpire's finger goes up after an eternity! Just as the partnership reaches 200, Bumrah does it! Sibley is out. Lbw. The batsman has reviewed, but it seems Bumrah has got something back for India right at the end of Day 1. Sibley is gone for 87.
ENG 263/3
Six! Joe Root is finishing Day 1 with some attacking shots. Slog sweeps against Ashwin to get the first maximum of the day. The partnership now worth 198. This is now the highest partnership for any wicket against India in India since Jan 2013 surpassing 191 by Steven Smith & Glenn Maxwell.
ENG 261/2
With the shadows lengthening, both sides look content to see out the last few minutes of the day. Ishant and Bumrah operate with the new ball, but not with the fire they were in the morning. Both Root and Sibley look to block out most deliveries. With 4 overs left in the day, Ashwin is brought back. Could there be one twist in the tail on Day 1?
Bumrah and Ishant now bowling in tandem, but it's been a long time since Bumrah got that one to jag back into Dan Lawrence to give India two quick wickets. Root and Sibley have now added close to 200 runs for the third wicket, and the visitors and now making merry after playing safely in the morning sessions.
ENG 249/2 after 84
Ishant comes back into the attack as India do take the second new ball in the 82nd over. Makes no difference to Root, who reaches out for a drive and creams Ishant through the covers for four.
ENG 247/2
Root finds even more fluency after crossing the three digit mark. India get to 80 overs but do not take the second new ball. Sibley gets four leg byes going down leg. There is a defeated air about how India are going about things in this final session.
ENG 240/2
Sibley now rocks back and gets four with a powerful sweep off Sundar, with the runs keeping on coming thick and fast. Another four for Sibley square off the wicket against Nadeem. Root moves to 99 with a push down the ground. Sibley gets another boundary, before Root gets to his century with another single! Off 164 balls. His 20th Test ton in his 100th Test.
Joe Root has now hit a century in 3 successive Tests, only Ken Barrington has managed a longer run for England (4 in a row on two occasions).
ENG 227/2
Root moves into his 90s with a flick for four against Sundar. England's 200 comes up, with this partnership tiring out the Indians towards the end of this first day. Can the second new ball bring some luck for India?
ENG 205/2
Again, Root brings out a massive sweep against Nadeem. Four more! Pant's signals from behind the stumps beginning to sound more and more desperate. India are sticking with their backup spinners and England are continuing to build their innings against them.
ENG 185/2
Again, Root brings out a massive sweep against Nadeem. Four more! Pant's signals from behind the stumps beginning to sound more and more desperate. India are sticking with their backup spinners and England are continuing to build their innings against them.
ENG 185/2
Sundar is brought back into the attack. Root sweeps his first ball for a four. Ashwin seen having frequent discussions with Sundar and Nadeem, both of whom England have taken a liking to.
ENG 177/2
A fabulous cover drive for four from Root off Bumrah brings up the 100 partnership. Root moves into his 60s, catching up with Sibley's score though he has played at lest 80less balls.
ENG 167/2
Sibley rocks back and cuts a short ball from Nadeem for another boundary. The pressure from the other end keeps being released from Nadeem's end.
Root is continuing from his Sri Lanka conquest in this Test, but what a run he has had in India over the years! He has played seven Tests in India. He's passed 50 in every single one of them.
ENG 158/2
Ishant and Shahbaz Nadeem resume bowling for India after the break. Joe Root gets to his fifty! Cracks a short ball from the left arm spinner to get to the mark. Root's golden run in Asia is continuing. Can he mark his 100th Test with a hundred?
ENG 151/2
Sibley and Root have turned things around for the visitors after they lost two in quick succession. After spending 31 overs together, the England pair have partnered each other for 77 runs. Ashwin ends the second session with England on 140/2 after 57 overs.
Dominic Sibley, who opened the innings with Rory Burns, has shown enough patience with the bat as the right-hander reached his 50* in 163 balls. On the other side, skipper Root continues to be a firm anchor of the England innings.
Shahbaz Nadeem to Joe Root and the sweep from outside off stump, no one there at mid-wicket, Root connected that really well and it's another boundary. Joe Root's magnificence in Sri Lanka was centred around one of the finest shots in world cricket today. In the two Tests in Sri Lanka, Root scored 134 of his 426 runs with his sweep.
With Dominic Sibley's overstepping off Shahbaz Nadeem's ball, England reached the 100-run mark. Their 100 runs came off first 44 overs with Sibley reached 39 off 137 balls and skipper Joe Root 22 off 68 balls. The pair is trying hard to accumulated some runs here as it has been a 2.28 CRR so far.
The partnership (27 off 92 balls) between Dominic Sibley and Joe Root has been the biggest hope for England as both are taking their time. Sibley has scored 35 off 128 balls and Root has taken 54 balls for his 12 runs so far.