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01-Aug-2018 18:05:00 GMT
End v Ind, 1st Test, Birmingham, day 1

Ashwin takes four; England slip after Root run-out

England 285 for 6 (Root 80, Bairstow 70, Ashwin 4-64) v India

Birmingham: A horrible run-out of Joe Root sparked an England collapse on day one of the first Test against India at Edgbaston.

Root was on 80 when he and Jonny Bairstow opted for a second run, only for Virat Kohli's direct hit to beat the dive of the England captain.

From there, England lost four wickets for 27 runs and eventually limped to 285-9.

Earlier, they looked to be taking advantage of winning the toss on a surface that seems true for batting, but is also offering some encouragement to both pace and spin bowlers.

Root shared stands of 72 with Keaton Jennings, who made a watchful 42, and 104 with Bairstow, whose 70 was the most fluent batting of the day.

But, after Root and Bairstow were removed, India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin tormented England to end with 4-60.

It left England in a disappointing position on the first day of their 1,000th Test, played in front of a ground that was no more than three-quarters full.

The crowd was subdued until it was brought to life by England's struggle, with some of the biggest cheers reserved for number 11 James Anderson blocking the hosts towards the close.

For two sessions this was a hard-fought day, one that bodes well for the competitiveness of the remainder of the five-Test series.

England showed patience against the moving ball and later, when Bairstow and Root were scoring at four and a half runs an over, the home side were taking control at 215-3.

However, it was England's eagerness which began India's resurgence.

Bairstow played Ashwin to mid-wicket and came back for a second that never looked viable. A sliding Kohli gathered and threw off-balance, the ball hitting the non-striker's stumps with the desperate Root well short.

As Bairstow dropped to his haunches and Root stomped off, skipper Kohli blew kisses to both batsmen, then put his finger to his lips and mimicked Root's 'mic drop' celebration from England's victory in the third one-day international.

Soon after, Bairstow chopped Umesh Yadav on to his own stumps, Jos Buttler was lbw to Ashwin and Ben Stokes somehow patted a return catch to the same bowler.

Sam Curran and the controversially recalled Adil Rashid briefly halted the tourists, only for Rashid to be lbw on review to Ishant Sharma before Stuart Broad was trapped leg before by Ashwin.


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