England finished the day of the first of the Tests against India on 263-3 after a special century from Joe Root (128no) in his 100th Test match; the England captain put on 200 for the third wicket with Dom Sibley (87) but a late strike by Jasprit Bumrah cleared the opener
Last updated: 05/02/21 12:11 pm
Joe Root won a brilliant run in his 100th Test for England (Credit: BCCI)
Joe Root marked his 100th test with a polished lead as England dominated the first test against India in Chennai.
The 30-year-old Yorkshireman became just the third Englishman, after Colin Cowdrey and Alec Stewart, and the ninth overall batsman to complete the action as he continued his remarkable start to 2021 with his third century in so many games.
Dom Sibley (87 from 286 balls) took out a valuable hotel, and was usually calm, before going to Jasprit Bumrah (2-40) in the final round of the day, finishing a third-wicket stand. of 200 with Root, to give India an incentive going into the second day.
The first day was about Root, however, as he put on a masterclass on how to bat in the subcontinent, packing his tissues to perfection as he went through to the 20th. His hundredth test and an undefeated finish on 128, with England 263-3.
Dom Sibley fell for 87 in the final day of the day after hitting 200 with Root (Credit: BCCI)
A special event for Root started well when he won the toss and did not waste time in choosing a batting on a pitch that was expected to decline quickly late in the game and, after an early scare, England ‘best of a slow, smooth one-surface day.
Playing in his 18th try, surprisingly this is Jasprit Bumrah’s first on home soil and he almost hit his first ball as Rory Burns looked fine but Rishabh Pant was unable to hold a very difficult low grip while diving down the side of the leg.
From there, however, both Burns and Sibley were comfortable as they cleared the rest of the opening spells from Bumrah and Ishant Sharma and started clear against the spinners as well.
Fifty partnerships came up and England watched the course to arrive lunch without a goal before Burns (33) opened for India while attempting a useless dangerous backhand to Ravi Ashwin (1-68) and sent the ball gently bending up to Pant off his dish.
India seized the opportunity, Bumrah was brought back to the attack and abruptly removed Dan Lawrence, promoted to No. 3 without Zak Crawley, for a five-ball duck. The fast archer got the ball back and Lawrence turned big into the block, plum in front of him.
India took two quick wickets to put England under pressure just before lunch (Pic credit: BCCI)
Root looked roy early but got through the closing stages of the session and was able to regroup at lunchtime.
India came out with a reason, however, and put the pressure on England for the first time after lunch with Ashwin and, in particular, Ishant – who got the ball back very effectively – at causing problems for Root and Sibley.
However, the England duo struggled through and after scraping just 24 runs in the first half of the afternoon, they opened up when India brought in inexperienced spinners Shahbaz Nadeem and Washington Sundar.
With the runs flowing, the fiftieth partnership came up shortly before Sibley reached his half-century from 159 deliveries and Virat Kohli Bumrah, Ashwin had to be brought back and then Ishant to take some control. get back before tea.
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Ishant started the afternoon session well and at first glance after the restart, Root was relieved to see a fringe fall just short of Pant.
It wasn’t long before he, however, moved past 50 and showed just how good he was seeing the ball with a glorious cover off Bumrah to the 100 partnership with Bring up Sibley.
The England captain swept Sri Lankan spinners in last month and after using the bullet earlier in his engines, he started doing the same for India as usual. his confidence grew – Nadeem and Sundar carried the tummy again.
Root’s big moment came shortly after drinks in the afternoon session as he shaved the ball around the corner to take one to three figures from 164 balls, after scraping just 12 from his first 54, laughing big on his face as he caught the applause of his team-mate.
Root hopes to make his centenary a big one on day two in Chennai (Credit: BCCI)
The difficult conditions began to tell late in the day as Root showed he was suffering from cramps, but that didn’t stop him from putting Ashwin over a deep midwicket for six with a brutal sweep.
England’s approach changed almost immediately after that picture when Root and Sibley, who had been struggling quietly while his partner betrayed another ton, stared at him. leave on the day.
It wasn’t for Sibley, though, as Bumrah brought out an elegant inorker yorker with the second new ball and hit it on the front block, a more optimistic review than expected. his career but England hope to push forward again on the second day when Ben Stokes joins Root.
Follow a text report over the second day of the first Test between India and England on the Sky Sports App and skysports.com from 4am on Saturday.