Chennai, Feb 9 (UNI) Half centuries by Shubman Gill and skipper
Virat Kohli went in vain, as England, thanks to three-wicket burst
by fast bowler James Anderson and a four wicket haul by left arm
spinner Jack Leach, defeated India by 227 runs and took a 1-0
lead on the final day of the first cricket test here today.
Set a daunting 420 to win, India, resuming at 39 for one, lost wickets
at regular intervals, despite Gill scoring an attractive 50 (83, 7x4, 1x6)
and skipper Virat Kohli contributing a fighting 72 (104 balls, 9x4).
For England Jack Leach claimed 4 for 76 and James Anderson
3 for 17, while Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes and Dom Bess claimed
a wicket each.
After overnight batsman Pujara (15, 38 balls, 1x4) fell to a superb
delivery from Jack Leach, which gripped, bounced and turned and
the edge climbed to Stokes at first slip, Anderson breathed fire
taking two of his three wickets in one over.
Anderson, who got some reverse swing struck immediately after
he was introduced in the attack. First he breached the defence of
well set Gill, who was looking for a big score, with a ball that came
in sharply and in the same over got rid of vice-captain Ajinkya
Rahane (0) in a similar fashion.
Anderson got his third wicket when first innings hero left hander
Rishab Pant spooned a slower one to England skipper Joe Root
at short cover.
After Washington Sundar, who displayed his batting skills in the
first essay, too fell without scoring, Kohli, who it three successive
fours of off spinner Dom Bess and R Ashwin offered a dogged
resistance.
But the exit of Ashwin and Kohli, who was bowled by Ben Stokes
to a ball that kept very low, in quick succession, exposed the tail
and the England bowlers, especially Leach, wrapped it up as the
contest ended shortly before tea.
Joe Root, who became the first cricketer to score a double
hundred in his 100th test, was adjudged the man of the match.
The second test would start in the same venue here on February 13.
Following is the scoreboard :
England (first innings) 578.
India (first innings) 337.
England (second innings) : 178
India second innings:
Rohit Sharma b Jack Leach 12
Shubman Gill b Anderson 50
Cheteswar Pujara c Stokes b Jack Leach 15
Virat Kohli b Ben Stokes 72
Ajinkya Rahane b James Anderson 0
Rishab Pant c Root b James Anderson 11
Washington Sundarc Butler b Don Bess 0
R Ashwin a Butler b Jack Leach 9
Shahbaz Nadeem c Burns b Jack Leach 0
Ishant Sharma (not out) 5
Jasprit Bumrah c Butler b Jofra Archer 4
Extras : (b-8, lb-5, nb-1) 14
Total : 192 all out in 58.1 overs.
Fall of wickets : 1-25, 2-58, 3-92, 4-92, 5-110, 6-117, 7-171, 8-179, 9-179, 10-192.
Bowling :
Jofra Archer 9.1-4-23-1
Jack Leach 26-4-76-4
James Anderson 11-4-17-3
Dom Bess 8-0-50-1
Ben Stokes 4-1-13-1
UNI GV 1444