England captain Ben Stokes won the coin toss and decided to bat first in Hyderabad. The opening batsmen, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, attacked the bowlers aggressively, scoring runs off Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj in the initial 10 overs. However, India gained momentum when the spinners entered the game. Ravichandran Ashwin took the first wicket by dismissing Duckett in the 12th over. 

Jadeja then removed Ollie Pope, bringing Joe Root to the crease. Root survived a close LBW appeal but soon after, Crawley got out. Root and Bairstow then stabilized the innings for England.

England is back in India after about two and a half years, with changes in both captaincy and coaching staff for both teams. Virat Kohli led India in the 2020/21 series, but this time Rohit Sharma is the captain, leading in his first five-match Test series, with Rahul Dravid as the head coach. Notably, Pujara and Rahane are not part of the team, and Kohli is unavailable for the first two Tests.

In contrast, England has seen a shift in its Test cricket approach under captains Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, who took over in May 2022. Known for their aggressive play and high scoring rates, England has posed challenges even on challenging pitches. However, the question remains whether their approach, nicknamed ‘Bazball’, will be successful in India.

Despite England’s undefeated streak since Stokes and McCullum’s leadership, they are considered underdogs in this series. India has maintained an impressive record at home since the 2012/13 series, with a current winning streak of 16 matches. Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have been instrumental in India’s success, and with the addition of Axar Patel, England faces a tough challenge.

Also Read: IND Vs ENG Tests: If Virat Talks About AB De Villiers “His Friendship Is Too Important To Me” On Remark After Kohli’s Brief Exit

Day 1 highlights of the first Test between India and England

  • England’s captain Ben Stokes chose to bat after winning the toss.
  • India included Axar Patel as the third spinner, and KS Bharat as the wicketkeeper.
  • KL Rahul is batting at No.4 in place of Virat Kohli.
  • India has not lost a series at home since 2012/13.
  • England has not lost a series since Ben Stokes became Test captain and Brendon McCullum became head coach.