Joe Root’s Unbeaten Century Lifts England to 302/7, Akash Deep’s Debut Brilliance Puts India in Control on Day One in Ranchi Test.
England stand at 302/7 on the first day of Ranchi Test
The fourth match of the five-match Test series between India and England started in Ranchi on Friday. India is leading 2-1 in this series, England is struggling to level the series in which Joe Root took the lead in the fourth Test. Tell me on the very first day that he is still in this series.
By the end of the first day’s play, England had scored 302 runs at the loss of seven wickets. Captain Joe Root played the captaincy innings and remained unbeaten after scoring 106 runs and his team came out of the difficulties in the challenging phase. But, the first day belonged to Akash Deep, who posed a challenge for the England team in the morning session, taking three important wickets and putting England on the backfoot.
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The England team had a shaky start and Akash Deep dismissed Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Jack Crawley early on. The spin pair of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja sent Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes back to the pavilion. At lunch, England’s score was 112 runs for 5 wickets.
Joe Root-Ben Foakes partnership flexible, but Siraj hits back
In the second session, Joe Root and Ben Foakes formed a partnership that added 86 runs and put England in a strong position. The unbroken sixth wicket partnership between Root and Foakes frustrated the Indian bowlers as they failed to take wickets in the middle session. But, Mohammed Siraj returned in the third session, and he broke the partnership and dismissed both Foakes and Tom Hartley.
Root, in his classic style, displayed amazing concentration and scored his 31st Test century. His innings of 106 runs on 219 balls put England in a strong position. A pitch displaying early seam movement and uneven bounce, Root and Fox’s innings restricted the wicket.
Debutant Akash Deep, who replaced the rested Jasprit Bumrah, has made an impact, taking three wickets and announcing his arrival in the Tests. His accuracy and ability to generate movement troubled the English batsmen.
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England’s young leg spinner Rehan Ahmed ruled out of India due to personal reasons
In a surprise twist, England’s 19-year-old leg spinner Rehan Ahmed has had to leave India due to personal reasons, and England will have no replacement for the final Test of the series.
The Ranchi pitch displayed a different form in the day’s play, with spells favoring the seamers followed by periods of lull. After scoring 112 runs for 5 wickets, England managed to cross 300 thanks to Root’s masterclass.
India’s use of DRS proved costly in the morning session as Ollie Robinson was out, narrowly escaping a close LBW call. However, Root’s composed century ensured England’s comeback.
As the Ranchi Test begins on Day 2, all eyes will be on whether India can make a strong comeback and restrict England to a manageable score. Each day’s play becomes crucial in determining the fate of the Test series. Root’s innings has set the stage for an interesting battle between bat and ball in the coming days, making the Ranchi Test a must-watch match for cricket fans around the world.
