England bounced back from a morning session collapse, finishing day one of the fourth Test against India with a commendable score of 302 for 7. Joe Root played a pivotal role in this recovery, contributing an unbeaten century on Friday.
In a day marked by the torment inflicted by debutant pacer Akash Deep, who dismissed both openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett in the morning and concluded with figures of 3/70 on his dream debut, former England skipper Root emerged as a stalwart. He stood firm, crafting an unbeaten innings of 106 off 226 balls, successfully halting the charge of the home team’s bowlers.
Root and Ben Foakes showcased resilience by putting together a crucial partnership of 113 runs for the sixth wicket, steering England clear of trouble after the team found themselves in a precarious position at 112/5, courtesy of the impressive bowling display by the 27-year-old debutant, Akash Deep.
Stepping into the Test arena in lieu of the rested pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep showcased resilience after a no-ball setback. He went on to dismiss Ben Duckett (11), Ollie Pope (0), and Zak Crawley (42), leaving England in a precarious position at 57 for 3.
Jonny Bairstow showcased aggressive batting, smashing a brisk 35-ball 38 that included four boundaries and a six. However, his innings was cut short as Ravichandran Ashwin (1/17) trapped him in front, providing India with a crucial breakthrough.
Skipper Ben Stokes, who managed only 3 runs, fell victim to Ravindra Jadeja’s (1/28) bowling prowess, being caught in front of the wicket. This dismissal further solidified India’s dominance during the morning session.
At stumps, Joe Root was accompanied by Ollie Robinson, who remained unbeaten at 31.
India currently holds a 2-1 lead in the five-Test series.