by India tighten grip on the series: Kuldeep and Ashwin shine on Day 1
The fifth and final Test of the India vs England
series got underway on March 7th, 2024, at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket
Association Stadium in Dharamshala. India, seeking a series win, started brightly by restricting
England to 218 runs on the opening day.
England captain Ben Stokes elected to bat first,
hoping to capitalize on a pitch known for its batting-friendliness. However, the Indian bowlers, led by the spin duo
of Kuldeep Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin, had other plans.
Openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett began
cautiously, facing some tight bowling from the Indian pacers. While Crawley found his rhythm,
scoring a well-paced 61, Duckett fell cheaply to Kuldeep Yadav for 27. Ollie
Pope followed suit soon after, caught behind off Ashwin for a mere 11.
Crawley continued to anchor the English innings, but wickets kept
tumbling at the other end. Joe Root, the experienced campaigner, looked good
for his 31 before being trapped LBW by Ashwin. Jonny Bairstow, known for his
aggressive batting, managed just 18 before falling prey to Mohammed Siraj.
The afternoon session saw England lose six wickets
for 94 runs, completely surrendering the early initiative. Kuldeep, with his guile and
variations, picked up 4 wickets, while Ashwin chipped in with 3. Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep also contributed with a wicket each.
England were eventually bowled out for 218 in the
final session. While Crawley remained unbeaten
at 61, the rest of the batting lineup failed to capitalize on the
batting-friendly conditions.
India, with the bowling attack in good rhythm, will look to build on
their strong start when they begin their batting innings on Day 2. The pitch is
expected to ease up as the game progresses, but England will need to take early
wickets to stay in contention.
This match marks a crucial encounter for both
sides. India, currently leading the
series 3-1, are on the cusp of a historic series win against England.
England, on the other hand, will be desperate to avoid a whitewash and salvage
some pride.
