India take control in first Test after England batters and spinners falter

DE Online Desk
An England team imbued with sunny optimism these past two years will need it an abundance over the next seven weeks, certainly if their opening day in bustling Hyderabad is anything to go by. We can already say that India, possibly smarting a little from all the pre-series focus on Bazball, appear in no mood to muck about.
Faced with turning pitch, plus the world’s most ruthless attack in such conditions, England’s 246 all out from 64.3 overs after winning the toss – ­salvaged by a defiant 70 from Ben Stokes – did put them in the contest. Given it exceeded all but one of their totals during a harrowing 3-1 loss in India three years ago, and featured a good number of the same ­personnel, it can be viewed as progress of sorts, too.
But during the final session came a stark reminder of their shortcomings as Yashasvi Jaiswal’s unbeaten 76 from only 70 balls powered India to 119 for one from 23 overs in reply. It was a particularly chastening first outing for Tom Hartley, who was handed his cap in the morning and was nerveless enough to make 23 runs with the bat, but then saw his first ball in Test cricket propelled over the rope for six.
This was the first of two mighty blows from Jaiswal in the second over of the reply after Stokes paired the one seamer in his quiver, Mark Wood, with his box-fresh left-armer. By stumps, Hartley had shipped 63 runs from nine wicketless, erratic overs, Stokes even burning the last of his reviews in an attempt to kickstart the rookie’s day.
An absence of any of warm-up matches appeared to be coming back to bite England. The elder statesmen among them may be able to tune up for Test cricket in the nets but a spin attack led by Jack Leach – himself only just back from a long lay-off – looked well short of grooving on this opening day. Not that this no-regrets England side would ever admit it.
Time will tell although, in fairness, no amount of preparation can bridge the gulf in spin bowling experience. This was spelled out as England tried their best to be proactive, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja sharing six wickets to reach 506 as a pairing, overtaking Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble as India’s most ­prolific duo.