It is a line often used to describe Test cricket: nothing tests a cricketer’s skills, temperament and character more than this format. And ...
It is a line often used to describe Test cricket: nothing tests a cricketer’s skills, temperament and character more than this format. And often, red-ball cricket is at its best when a match ebbs and flows one way, then the other and you sit in front of a scoreboard at the end of a day’s play and struggle to pick which team would be happier.
Having won the toss, a score of 269 should please England. Having lost the toss and seen 230/2 on the scoreboard at one point, six wickets at stumps should please India immensely too.
One-off Test, day one as it happened: Spinners bring India back into the match
Less than ideal start
The pre-lunch and pre-tea sessions were, by no means, bad for India. In fact, they competed hard and never let England sustain momentum for long periods. The control over line and length, as it should be for an attack led by Jhulan Goswami, was impressive. Pooja Vastrakar picked up a wicket in the first session and Sneh Rana did the needful in the second as the first two sessions went by in largely similar fashion.
The third and final session started firmly in England’s favour, though. For the first time in...
