With both teams having won a game each, India and England met in Rajkot for a five-day bout, the winner taking the lead in the series. Here are all the highlights from Day 1 of the match
India made light work of England in Visakhapatnam to draw the series level, mere days after they had succumbed to a 'Bazball' masterclass in Hyderabad. The Men in Blue did so in the absences of Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and KL Rahul, adding further embellishment to their accomplishment. (Streaming | Cricket News)
Looking to take the lead in the series, both teams square up in Rajkot for a crucial tie in the five-game series. India remain without Kohli and Rahul - with doubts persisting over Jadeja - while England will have to contend sans Jack Leach, who joined the injury list ahead of the match. Follow here for all the live updates from the match.
India: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul*, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), KS Bharat (WK), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja*, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep. * Subject to fitness.
England: Ben Stokes (C), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow (WK), Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Tom Hartley, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood.
Sarfaraz Khan has received his first India Test cap from Anil Kumble today morning in Rajkot. Khan, after a string of consistent performances in the domestic circuit that stretch over many years, will finally make his India Test debut, much to the delight of his father, who was present and visibly emotional at the early-morning ceremony.
Tails is the call from Ben Stokes but the coins lands heads up, meaning India get to take their pick. Captain Rohit Sharma chooses to bat first, before revealing the team news: Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan make their Test debuts, while Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja return to the team!
England Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (c), Ben Foakes (wk), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, James Anderson
India Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
Jimmy Anderson with the new ball, Yashasvi Jaiswal on strike, and the youngster hits it straight down for a boundary! What a statement from the in-form batter!
Having endured Andersons's swingers, Sharma is off the mark with a four down the line off Mark Wood. The Indian captain will be aiming to set a big score after some below-par performances of late.
Mark Wood draws first blood and India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal rather cheaply in the first session. Jaiswal is unable to get enough carry on his bat to take a Wood scorcher away from the slips and Joe Root takes the catch in behind. The youngster walks after 10 from 10; India, 22-1.
It's disaster for India and Shubman Gill, who walks after no runs from nine balls after being caught behind by Ben Foakes. Mark Wood claims his second of the match, a near-carbon-copy of his first, as Gill edges a short ball straight into Foakes' hands.
India are 33 for three now, with Rajat Patidar the latest to walk back to the pavilion. Patidar is a victim of Hartley's spin, lofting the ball uncomfortably over to cover, where Ben Duckett takes an easy catch. India have lost their top order in the first 45 minutes of the first day!
The two veterans have provided the struggling hosts with some much-required reprieve in this first session, with the team finally looking steady after an uncomfortable start. Sharma is approaching his 30s while Jadeja is providing ample support and rotation from the other end, as the teams head toward the first break.
A Jimmy Anderson delivery sneaks through to Rohit Sharma's pad, which is caught plumb in front of the wicket. The soft dismissal is given out, but the Indian captain survives by the narrowest of edges from his bat first upon review...
...and Rajkot breathes a collective sigh of relief.
However, Sharma is being treated by the physio on the pitch; he seems to have injured himself in the play.
India are fighting back against England in Rajkot after a disastrous start, courtesy of Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja. Sharma, despite some scares, has steadied the Indian innings; he sits on 43 from 60 balls. Jadeja, meanwhile, is shoring things up from the other end with 11 off 28.
Rohit Sharma brings up his half-century in 71 balls. The Indian captain has played a crucial innings in Rajkot and will be looking to shepherd the hosts to a big score.
Advanatge has swung back and forth between India and England in this first session on Day 1, with the Men in Blue finally a step away from the 100-run mark. After losing Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Rajat Patidar for a combined 15 runs, veterans Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja steadied the ship, propelling the hosts to a decent score by the end of the session.
Sharma and Jadeja on the crease. India 93/3.
The Men in Blue are over the 100-run mark despite their early stumbles. What at one point seemed distant has now been achieved easily due to the experience of the two Indian batters, who continue to go strong at the time of writing.
It's been an impressive showing from Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja, the former now approaching his century while the latter his half-century. India are 143 for the loss of those three early wickets, with still plenty more to come.
A bold call from India pays off! Sending him ahead of the two debutants, Ravindra Jadeja pays back the coaching staff with a well-worked 50 off 97 balls in front of a cheery home crowd. India a step short of 150, with the two batters set on the crease and looking assured of batting until close.
For the first time in the five-game series, a session has concluded with the batting team not losing any wickets. That much is largely due to the experience of Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja, who have rescued the hosts from a sticky situation and have built a platform stable enough to set a big score.
Can India go back-to-back without losing a wicket? The final session begins.
What a start to the session as Rohit Sharma reaches his century in just three balls. The Indian captain is on 101 from 157 after shepherding his team to a respectable total after a poor start. This is Sharma's 11th Test ton, and it could not have come at a more opportune moment, with the hosts battling to take the lead in the series.
A 167-run partnership between Sharma and Jadeja sees India cross the 200-run mark in Rajkot, a total that seemed improbable at one point. Sharma has led from the front with a century while Jadeja will now be aiming to follow in the footsteps of his captain with a ton of his own.
196 balls later, Rohit Sharma finally departs the pitch, having added 131 runs to India's total. The Indian skipper looked indomitable out on the field, up until a soft lob over to Ben Stokes off a Mark Wood delivery broke his resolve. India down four at 237 with a couple of debutants lined up next.
Just over 45 minutes of the day left here in Rajkot and, as it stands, India are looking likely to cross the 400-mark. Barring a stunning collapse, India will also finish the day with batters on the crease, allowing them to pick up the pace tomorrow morning again.
Bazball Sarfarazball is in full flow out there in Rajkot, with the debutant hitting the English bowlers all over the pitch. The youngster has raced to 43 in 44 balls and will now be aiming to reach his half century before the day closes.
That is simply special. What a statement by the batter on his Test debut as he races to a 50 in just 48 balls, playing some magnificent shots along the way. A great moment for an amazing player.
That's incredibly unfortunate for Sarfaraz Khan, who has to walk back to the pavilion after being caught outside his crease while attempting to run over to the batter's end. The youngster, batting in his sixties, runs at Ravindra Jadeja's call, but is forced to check his stride after the experienced all-rounder alters his decision mid-flight. A direct hit takes out Sarfaraz, much to the disappointment of all present.
Still, a sensational inning from the debutant, who is applauded upon his return to the stands.
Slightly muted celebrations from both the player and his camp given what transpired just a delivery ago. Still, Ravindra Jadeja completes his century in almost twice as many balls, a just reward for the performance he has put in on Day 1.
India end the day with 326 runs on the board at the loss of five wickets. An early stumble aside, the Men in Blue controlled much of the day, with tons from Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja setting the tone. Sarfaraz Khan made his much-awaited debut and raced to 60 before losing his wicket to a cheap run-out. Still, India will head into Day 2 with half their team yet to bat and a hefty total on the board already.