The opening Test match between England and India turned out to be an absolute visual treat to the spectators from all across the world. While neutral fans expected it to be a one-sided affair, reckoning that England would dominate India through and through, Team India had other ideas in mind.
Despite losing the toss, Virat Kohli used his bowlers quite well. He was tactically better in terms of bringing the seamers at the right time. As a result, England succumbed to seamers’ pressure. The hosts were bowled out for a mere 183. It is their lowest ever total against India in the first innings.
Jasprit Bumrah was the best bowler in the Indian team as he took 4 wickets. Mohammed Shami also bowled well and went on to take 3 wickets. Shardul Thakur took 2 wickets where he dismissed Joe Root and Ollie Robinson in the same over. Mohammed Siraj settled for a wicket.
Barring skipper Joe Root no batsman found it comfortable in tackling the Indian seamers. Root scored a terrific 64 with the help of 11 fours. On the other hand, India aggregated 278 in the first innings. Thanks to KL Rahul’s 84 and Ravindra Jadeja’s half-century that helped India lead by 95 runs.
England batters didn’t make the same mistake in the second innings. This time around, they posted 303 and set up a competitive target of 209 for the visitors. Joe Root went on to score his 21st Test century. Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah took a five-wicket haul.
Heated exchange between Mohammed Siraj and Sam Curran
The beauty of Test cricket is that each team gets plenty of time to get into the zone. While one team focuses on scoring runs patiently, the other team tries its best to take wickets. In the process, the bowling team faced too much pressure and at times, they get irked by the opposition team scoring runs.
Mohammed Siraj was one of the players irked by England’s batsmen scoring runs and stretching a lead. The drama unfolded when Sam Curran hit a boundary off Siraj’s bowling. Meanwhile, a heated exchange happened between Siraj and Curran.
Immensely frustrated by it, Siraj bowled a deadly bouncer and the exchange continued again. Just before the incident turned from bad to worse, the Indian captain Virat Kohli intervened and calmed things down. The video of this particular incident has gone viral on the internet.
This Curran vs Siraj battle is ace !!! #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/puhRL813jo
— Jutin (@JUSTIN_AVFC_) August 7, 2021
