England vs India 2018, 5th Test, Day 1: India Take Day One Honours After Brilliant Bowling

Team India bounced back very strongly in the final session of the 5^th Test at the Kennington Oval in London against England to take day one honours at the end of the day’s play.

The hosts had only lost the wicket of Keaton Jennings in the first two sessions. However, the Indian bowlers bowled their heart out and scalped out six English batsmen in the final session.

Keaton Jennings and Alastair Cook shared an impressive 60 runs partnership for the first wicket. After the dismissal of Jennings, Cook and Moeen Ali started rebuilding the innings.

Ali played and missed on a number of occasions. However, he didn’t give away his wicket cheaply. Cook, on the other hand, started looking more confident as he spent more time in the middle.

After another partnership of 62 runs, it was a great effort by the Indian bowlers in just no time to turn the scales in their favour.

Well, it was Jasprit Bumrah, who bagged a couple of quick wickets in the 63^rd over. He dismissed Alastair Cook with a peach of a delivery and then trapped skipper Joe Root right in front of the stumps with an inswing delivery.

The ball moved quite a bit and the skipper was in no position to play the shot.

From the other end, it was Ishant Sharma, who bagged his maiden wicket in the form of Jonny Bairstow’s wicket. It was yet another inswinger which took the outside edge of his bat and was safely pouched by Rishabh Pant behind the stumps. From a comfortable situation, England was in a spot of a bother.

Ben Stokes and Ali shared a brief partnership before Ravindra Jadeja brought about the downfall of Stokes. Ali wasn’t spared as he was dismissed by Ishant with a terrific delivery. The ball moved just enough to take the outside edge of his blade.

England was under the pump. In came Sam Curran, the young 20-year- old who has been a thorn in the flesh for India in the series so far. Coming into the innings, Curran had scored runs in almost all the innings he had played in the series.

However, he Ishant dismissed Curran quite cheaply. Curran wanting to leave a delivery found the under-edge of his bat and was grabbed safely by Pant.

Jos Buttler survived a couple of close shaves. However, he did manage to keep his wicket intact at the end of the day’s play. The Three Lions finished the day’s play on 198 for seven in 90 overs.

England vs India, 5th Test: Brief Scores – 

England 1st innings 198 for seven in 90 overs (Alastair Cook 71, Moeen Ali 50, Ishant Sharma 3/28)