Watch: Axar Patel bamboozles Jonny Bairstow with a jaffa in 1st Test

Without any major shocks, team India’s spinners have started Day 1 of the 1st Test against England in Hyderabad in a very commanding manner which has seen all three 3 spinners taking a wicket each. While Ashwin and Jadeja had already earned their wickets, India’s 3rd spinning option, Axar Patel joined the party as he led to the removal of number 5 batter Jonny Bairstow and broke his partnership with Joe Root.

Axar Patel was constantly testing the resolve of Bairstow by pitching the ball in good areas. The left-arm off-spinner would create a fantastic setup before bowling an orthodox left-arm off-spin delivery to Bairstow who was just trying to knock the ball down.

But as Bairstow tried to do so, he remained stuck in his follow-through, closing his bat’s face as the ball went straight castling the off-stump. Bairstow’s wicket was exactly what the Indian contingent were looking for after the start of 2nd session at the Rajiv Gandhi stadium. Watch Here:

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁. 𝗪𝗮𝘀. 𝗔. 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁! ⚡️ ⚡️@akshar2026 with his first wicket of the match 👏 👏

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— BCCI (@BCCI) January 25, 2024

The hosts had created enough pressure on the visitors in the 1st session itself, removing 3 batsmen before the 20th over for 60 runs. English openers – Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett got the team off to a flying start as they began by dominating pacers Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah.

India’s captain Rohit Sharma upon seeing the ineffectiveness of the pace battery, brought spinners into the attack. And as soon as Ravichandran Ashwin was brought into the fore, he caught Ben Duckett’s leg before wicket and removed him for the 4th time in Tests for 35 off 39.

Then Ravindra Jadeja came and removed Ollie Pope for 1 off 11 before Ashwin took his 2nd wicket of the day by removing Zak Crawley for 20 off 40.

Soon after the start of 2nd session, the partnership of Root and Bairstow was going strong and India were doing everything to put a full stop to it and the reliant Axar Patel came with the breakthrough, thanks to his classic orthodox left-arm off-spin.

Following Axar Patel’s Breakthrough, Ravindra Jadeja Removes Joe Root

Soon after the departure of Jonny Bairstow, another left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja picked up the very important wicket of set batter Joe Root who came in at number 4. Root was picking and judging the line lengths of all Indian spinners very well as he was consistently responding aggressively whenever the ball was pitched in a fuller length.

He was using the sweep shot to curb the spin trio but it was the sweep shot that became the reason for his departure. Jadeja in all his smartness, knew that Root would go for the same shot so he dragged his length a little behind than usual outside the off-stump with the ball taking Root’s top edge and ending up on the hands of Jasprit Bumrah who was standing in leg-slip.

England’s misery did not stop there as Axar Patel registered this 2nd wicket of the day in the form of wicket-keeper batsman Ben Foakes. It was another brilliant delivery and set up by Axar whose left-arm off-spinner took a slight nick off Foakes’ bat. The Three Lions are currently 142-6 with Ben Stokes and Rehan Ahmed at the crease.