In the inaugural Test match in Hyderabad, England's captain, Ben Stokes, showcased resilience with an impressive 70, but India's spinners asserted control, restricting the visitors to 246 on the first day. In response, India finished the day at 119-1, with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal leading the charge with an unbeaten fifty, scoring 76 runs off 70 balls.
Jack Leach claimed the sole wicket for England, dismissing Rohit Sharma for 24, while Shubman Gill remained unbeaten on 14 at stumps. Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin took a wicket each for the hosts.
Stokes played a pivotal role, reaching his fifty with a six off Jadeja and forming crucial partnerships with debutant Tom Hartley (23) and Mark Wood (11). However, his impactful knock came to an end when he was bowled by paceman Jasprit Bumrah as the final wicket after tea.
England's early momentum, led by Ben Duckett (35) and Zak Crawley (20), was curtailed by the spin duo of Jadeja and Ashwin. Duckett fell lbw to Ashwin, breaking the brisk opening stand, while Crawley's dismissal, caught by Siraj off Ashwin, further tilted the balance in India's favor.
Despite contributions from Jonny Bairstow (37) and Joe Root (29), Axar Patel and Jadeja secured crucial wickets for India. Bairstow was dismissed by Patel, and Jadeja got Root caught at short fine-leg, adding to England's challenges.
India's spin dominance sets an intriguing stage for the remainder of the Test series, with England looking to regroup and counter the turning tracks in the subcontinent.
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