adminAHMEDABAD. — England put in a feeble batting display to crumble to 112 all out at the hands of a dominant India on the first day of the third Test here yesterday.
The tourists completely surrendered the advantage of winning the toss, in the day-night Test, succumbing to left-arm spinner Axar Patel’s 6-38.
Zak Crawley, returning after missing the first two Tests with a wrist injury, made an attractive 53 — as many runs as his team-mates combined.
Crawley was the second batsman to fall in a collapse of four wickets for nine runs, part of an overall slide of the last eight falling for 38.
On the day the world’s biggest cricket stadium was officially opened, India were 34-2 in reply, with a wicket apiece going to Jofra Archer and Jack Leach.
Captain Virat Kohli joined Rohit Sharma for a third-wicket stand of 64, only for England to get the huge boost of Kohli chopping on off Leach for 27 just before the close.
Rohit remains unbeaten on 57, with India 99-3 and holding a golden opportunity to go 2-1 up, with one match to play.
The magnitude of this contest — perhaps England’s most important overseas Test outside of an Ashes series since they won in India in 2012 — was only surpassed by the magnificent new 110,000-seater stadium.
In contrast to the hosts’ three spinners, England chose three front-line pace bowlers, with Archer joining the reunited James Anderson and Stuart Broad.
As it turned out, there was enough encouragement for bowlers of all kinds to suggest both approaches had merit, but the make-up of either attack is almost immaterial because of England’s horrible performance when batting conditions were probably at their best.
While there was turn, at least six batsmen were dismissed by deliveries that did not deviate as the timid and confused tourists were outskilled by Axar.
Later, when they came to field, England were visibly frustrated when decisions went against them, firstly when second slip Ben Stokes was adjudged to have grounded a Shubman Gill edge off Broad and, later, when the third umpire swiftly decided Rohit had avoided being stumped. — BBC Sport.
Online Reporter