RAJKOT: Before England, the last three teams to have played Test series in India had failed to register a single century. West Indies in 2013, South Africa in 2015 and New Zealand earlier this year played nine Tests in all. None posted an individual score in three figures.
It’s not known how aware of the record England were, but they broke that sequence in style. Ben Stokes became the third century-maker for the visitors in the first innings of the first Test. After Joe Root’s classy effort and a tenacious one by Moeen Ali, the all-rounder’s knock was bold, as he hit the bowlers all over the SCA Stadium to bring up a fourth career hundred. It took his team to 537 all out at tea and in a position to put pressure on India.
Murali Vijay and Gautam Gambhir absorbed that pressure for over an hour and 23 overs to soothe nerves in the dressing room, although the job had just begun. With an English defeat almost ruled out, there can only be one verdict in this match if it produces a result. To avoid that, the Indians have to weather pace and spin with a cordon of close catchers, other than master a pitch that has started showing signs of getting slow. The total of 63/0 looks good, but they have to start afresh.
The odd one from Moeen spun and the cracks on the surface will widen as the game progresses. For all practical purposes, the remainder of this match might put the hosts through a test of application and patience. Vijay showed these qualities in leaving religiously outside off when Stuart Broad targeted that line with the new ball. Showing a tendency to play away from body in a stance that resembles Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s, Gambhir curbed that instinct gradually to keep hopes alive.
After being plundered for 139 runs off 30 overs before lunch when Stokes and Johnny Bairstow cut loose, India started the second session on a bright note and sent back Chris Woakes and Adil Rashid shortly after resumption. At 465/8, there were hopes in the stands of keeping the total below 500. Stokes and Zafar Ansari defied them in a ninth-wicket stand of 52 to frustrate the Indians further. The session extended by half-an-hour was the first of the match that produced less than 100 runs (87). It was hardly a consolation for India.
There was no change to the tale of dropped catches as Indian bowlers continued to strive without luck. Umesh Yadav was the one to suffer. Wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha first missed a difficult one, when he got just the left hand to an edge off Stokes diving to his left. The left-hander had added one more to his 60 when he attempted an identical slash in the bowler’s next over. Saha flung himself to his left and let the ball slip despite getting both gloves to it. Ironically, the same pair combined to send back Stokes after he had done the damage.
Stokes and Bairstow upped the ante to rub salt to the injury. The right-hander was particularly aggressive and smacked Amit Mishra for two sixes. If the sixth-wicket partnership of 99 off 21.1 overs made sure England can’t possibly lose this Test, the ninth-wicket alliance took them to a position they can dictate terms from. With the pitch showing signs of wear and tear, batting won’t be easy later in the match and the Indians have to be at their best to avoid embarrassment.
Brief scores: England 537 (Stokes 128, Root 124, Moeen 118, Bairstow 46, Jadeja 3/86, Shami 2/65, Umesh 2/112, Ashwin 2/167) vs India 63/0 (Vijay 25 no, Gambhir 28 no).