Dharamshala, March 7th: The Indian team put in a commanding performance on the first day of the final Test match against England at Dharamshala. After bundling England out for a below-par 218 thanks to their spinners, India ended the day at a dominant 135/1, trailing by just 83 runs.
India's spin attack took center stage, dismantling the English batting line-up. Kuldeep Yadav led the way with a stellar performance, claiming four wickets. Ravichandran Ashwin, playing his 100th Test, chipped in with four scalps as well, while Ravindra Jadeja picked up one wicket. England's batsmen struggled against the spin, with only Jack Crawley (79) managing a score of substance.
Electing to bat first, England's decision backfired as they crumbled under the pressure of India's spin bowling. Opener Ben Stokes fell for a duck, setting the tone for a disappointing batting display. Apart from Crawley, only Ben Duckett (27), Jonny Bairstow (29), Joe Root (26), and Ben Foakes (24) managed to reach double digits. Notably, India's pacers, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj, remained wicketless.
In response, India got off to a strong start with openers Rohit Sharma (52*) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (57) stitching together a solid partnership. Jaiswal fell victim to Shoaib Bashir, but Rohit continued his fine form and remains unbeaten alongside Shubman Gill (26*). With nine wickets remaining and a strong batting line-up, India is in a commanding position to take control of the Test.
