ENG vs IND 2018: Twitter Reacts As Chris Woakes Takes Three To Spoil India's Fine Start

Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul added 60 runs for the first wicket before Chris Woakes took three wickets as India finished the first session of day three on 82 for 3.

India needed a solid start in the game which they cannot afford to lose. And well, Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul provided the team with a brilliant start on a pitch which assisted the pacers early on. The duo came out to bat with intent as India were off to a good start after being put to bat first.

All eyes were on Dhawan who came in the playing eleven at Murali Vijay’s place. The southpaw showed signs of weakness early like when he had a narrow escape with an edge off James Anderson flying over the slip cordon. But as the game progressed, he started showing his will to grind it out. The Delhi star shelved his usual attacking game and left deliveries that were well outside off. But at the same time, he latched onto the deliveries that deserved to be hit.

On the other hand, Rahul adapted an ultra-cautious approach.  The partnership soon crossed the 10-over mark. It was the first time since Brisbane 2014 that the Indian openers lasted 10 or more overs on the first morning of a Test outside Asia.

Rahul then hit a cracking cover-drive to take the team’s score past the 50-run mark. But just when it looked the openers would see off the first session, Chris Woakes dismissed both of them in quick succession to spoil India’s fine start.

He first made Dhawan edge one to the slip to end the 60-run stand. The left-handed batsman scored 35.  5 runs later, Woakes had Rahul lbw to leave India reeling at 65 for 2. Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara then stopped the rot for a while. But the duo could add just 17 runs before Woakes struck again to remove Pujara and help England make a fine comeback.

Here is how Twitter reacted to session:

https://twitter.com/FarziCricketer/status/1030780910759600128?

The way Pujara convinced KL to take the review, it seems he doesn’t want to bat with Virat at all. #EngvInd

— Mon (@4sacinom) August 18, 2018

Lmao batsman not interested. Pujara (non striker) forces a review.
Next level Watson from Pujara.

— Fake Mitch Johnson (@NotMitchJohnson) August 18, 2018

https://twitter.com/GultiGrinch/status/1030771820029464578?

Shikhar Dhawan, with 35*, now has the highest score of any Indian batsman not called Virat Kohli this Test series

— Tim Wigmore (@timwig) August 18, 2018

https://twitter.com/imsgshinde/status/1030769560280920065

Shikhar Dhawan has already scored more runs in this innings than Murali Vijay has compiled in the entire series. #ENGvIND

— Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) August 18, 2018

During his famous 8-15 spell on this ground against Australia in 2015, Stuart Broad found 0.8° of seam movement. So far today, he's finding 1°. #ENGvIND

— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) August 18, 2018

https://twitter.com/DennisCricket_/status/1030761410710581248

This, I am afraid, could be the end of Vijay’s career.

— Sambit Bal (@sambitbal) August 18, 2018

Root has won the toss and elected to unleash Jimmy. #ENGvIND

— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) August 18, 2018

Michael Holding: "Indian players are wearing a black armband… that's not because they're 2-0 down".

— Bob Bamber (@CricketFanBob) August 18, 2018

And so the musical chair for the opening spots continues. Dhawan and Rahul the new combination #ENGvsIND

— Arun Venugopal (@scarletrun) August 18, 2018