England Tour of India Test Series, 2024

5th Test

Day-1 Session-2 Highlights:

Kuldeep Yadav’s five-wicket haul has helped India team to finish the first innings of the England team

England scored 194/8 before the Tea of the Day-1:

Kuldeep Yadav etched his name in the annals of cricket history by becoming only the third left-arm wrist spinner to claim 50 Test wickets, marking the milestone with his fourth five-wicket haul in red-ball cricket.

Displaying a spin bowling masterclass in the post-lunch session, the 29-year-old maestro propelled India to a commanding position on the opening day of the fifth Test against England in Dharamsala.

In a dramatic turn of events, England’s fortunes plummeted from 175/3 to a precarious 183/8 within the span of just 37 deliveries.

Following the lunch break, Zak Crawley seamlessly resumed his innings, seemingly destined for a well-deserved century before falling victim to Kuldeep’s exquisite setup.

Employing a repertoire of pace and lengths, interspersed with occasional googlies, Kuldeep unleashed a prodigious leg break that veered sharply past Crawley’s inside edge, ultimately deceiving the opener on the drive.

This pivotal dismissal significantly altered the course of play, given Crawley’s apparent ease at the crease during his resilient knock of 79.

Despite surviving a close call at short leg, Crawley’s luck was short-lived as Rohit Sharma’s denial of the review spared India any significant setback.

With the Dharamsala pitch gradually transitioning to favor spin in the afternoon session, Kuldeep’s virtuosity enabled him to extract substantial turn, while Ravindra Jadeja capitalized on the pitch’s inherent skid and variation to trouble the English batsmen.

Jadeja dealt a decisive blow when he trapped Joe Root leg before wicket with a deceptive slider, thereby tilting momentum decisively in India’s favor.

Jonny Bairstow attempted a counterattack but fell prey to Kuldeep’s guile, succumbing to a well-disguised googly.

Ben Stokes struggled to decipher Kuldeep’s variations and was ultimately adjudged leg before wicket to a delivery that spun sharply.

In his 100th Test appearance, Ravichandran Ashwin initially toiled without reward but returned with vengeance in his second spell, claiming two wickets in a single over.

Tom Hartley’s impulsive stroke resulted in a straightforward catch at long-on, while Mark Wood departed for a golden duck, further denting England’s prospects.

Despite Ben Foakes’s resolute stance, the burden of responsibility looms large with only the tailenders for company.

England’s recurring collapse from positions of strength underscores their vulnerability throughout the series.