India Vs England: 3rd Test, Day 1 – Advantage India!

Rohit Sharma stayed unbeaten on 57 runs at the end of Day 1 of the pink-ball Test at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. India stretched to 99 runs on the stumps with three wickets in response to England’s 112 runs with all out on day 1 of the third Test, where England won the toss and opted to bat first.

Rohit Sharma comes up with another fifty from 63 balls with a flick through midwicket off Ben Stokes’ ball. Jofra Archer’s extra pace trapped Shubman Gill into an awkward flapped pull at a bouncer outside his eye-line. Finally, Zak Crawley loped in from square leg to get a simple steepling catch before Cheteshwar Pujara had to go back without any score of 4 balls on Jack Leach’s ball.

Skipper Virat Kohli was the third wicket for India, who was sent back by Jack Leach with only 27 runs of 58 balls, making way for Ajinkya Rahane.

During England’s first innings, England Skipper Joe Root with Zak Crawley was struck on the pitch for a long time as the latter hit a half-century, who was also the top scorer from the visitor side. Still, unfortunately, the duo wasn’t able to make it through to the end of the session, as Ashwin sent back Root for 17. Axar then bagged Crawley’s wicket towards the end of the session, with him departing for 53 runs.

Before, Ishant Sharma helped India with their initial breakthrough in the third over of the match as he successfully sent back opener Dom Sibley. Soon, Axar Patel made Jonny Bairstow fall in his trap in front of the stumps off on his very first ball of the match. Within his 10 overs, Patel bagged his next wicket that of Stuart Broad, whom he holed out at deep square leg, and it was Ben Foakes, whose wicket was the last to fall for England as he was bowled by Axar Patel in the 49th over.

Axar Patel concluded the innings with 6 wickets for 38 runs, followed by his 5 wickets for 60 runs in the second innings of the second Test in Chennai. Ashwin, alongside bagged 3 wickets for 26 runs.