India 191: Thakur 57, Kohli 50, Woakes 4-55, Robinson 3-38England 53-3England path by 138 runsScorecard
England misplaced the important thing wicket of Joe Root late on a dramatic first day to go away the fourth Take a look at with India finely balanced on the Kia Oval.
Root was bowled by Umesh Yadav for 21 to go away the hosts 53-3 after that they had bowled India out for 191.
Opting to bowl on successful the toss, England exploited the help on supply, Chris Woakes taking 4-55 in his first Take a look at in additional than a 12 months and Ollie Robinson persevering with an excellent begin to his worldwide profession with 3-38.
Regardless of 50 from captain Virat Kohli, India discovered themselves 127-7, just for Shardul Thakur to crash a 31-ball half-century, the quickest in Take a look at cricket in England.
India misplaced their final three wickets in 4 balls, then diminished England to 6-2 – Rory Burns fell for 5 and Haseeb Hameed nought, each to Jasprit Bumrah.
Root and Dawid Malan seemed to have weathered the storm, just for Umesh to trim the bails and ship captain Root on his manner for 21.
It left nightwatchman Craig Overton to see England to the shut alongside Malan, who’s unbeaten on 26.
Chaotic day mirrors fluctuating collection
This has been a fluctuating collection, the character of which was mirrored on a chaotic and, at occasions, weird opening day.
India as soon as once more ignored the 413 Take a look at wickets of Ravichandran Ashwin and promoted Ravindra Jadeja to quantity 5 within the batting order.
Though England labored their manner by the India batting, they nonetheless dropped 4 catches and had been flayed by Thakur.
When Burns performed on to his personal stumps and Hameed loosely edged a lower in the identical over, there was an actual hazard of India wreaking havoc within the ultimate hour.
As ever, Root was a reassuring presence, and the 46 he added with Malan seemed to have England in management.
Umesh, although, hurried a nip-backer between the captain’s bat and pad, giving India a gap to use on Friday morning.
Woakes’ reliable return
Woakes was England’s participant of the 12 months in 2020, but went greater than 12 months with out taking part in a Take a look at by a mix of harm, being rested and being compelled to isolate.
Regardless of having little match follow, he made a usually seamless return, rather than the omitted Sam Curran. On high of his 4 wickets he had two catches dropped and an lbw resolution in opposition to Ajinkya Rahane overturned.
Woakes struck with solely his sixth supply, discovering additional bounce to take Rohit Sharma’s edge. Jadeja poked to first slip and Rishabh Pant carelessly slapped to mid-off earlier than Woakes ended the Thakur assault by incomes an lbw on assessment.
There have been occasions when England weren’t at their very best – James Anderson began off expensively and Robinson was often down on tempo – however they had been nonetheless adequate to torment the weak India batting.
Solely when Thakur received going did England lose management, but his downfall was the sign for the ultimate three wickets to fall for one run.
After Thakur fell to Woakes, Bumrah was run out with out going through by Burns’ direct hit after Overton dropped Umesh, properly Jonny Bairstow, again behind the stumps, took a advantageous one-handed catch to carry Mohammed Siraj and provides Robinson his third wicket.
Extra to observe.
