On the first day of the fourth Test between England and India in Ranchi, England showcased resilience after a morning session collapse to post a competitive total of 302 for 7. The standout performance came from England's former captain, Joe Root, who remained unbeaten with a century, anchoring his team's innings.
Debutant pacer Akash Deep made an immediate impact, troubling the English batsmen early on. He accounted for the dismissals of both openers, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, finishing the day with figures of 3/70. Despite Akash Deep's impressive debut, Root stood firm against the Indian bowling attack, crafting an unbeaten 106 from 226 deliveries, effectively thwarting the hosts' momentum.
Root found a reliable partner in Ollie Robinson, who contributed an unbeaten 31 runs to the partnership. The duo's unbroken stand provided England with much-needed stability towards the end of the day's play.
Earlier in the innings, Root joined forces with Ben Foakes to rescue England from a precarious position. The pair stitched together a crucial 113-run partnership for the sixth wicket, guiding England out of trouble after they had slumped to 112/5, courtesy of Akash Deep's impactful spells.
Akash Deep, filling in for the rested Jasprit Bumrah, made his presence felt with a disciplined bowling performance. Despite an initial setback due to a no-ball, he quickly recovered to dismiss key English batsmen, including Duckett, Ollie Pope, and Crawley, leaving the visitors struggling at 57 for 3.
England's middle-order batsman Jonny Bairstow provided a brief counter-attacking cameo, scoring a brisk 38 off just 35 deliveries before falling victim to Ravichandran Ashwin's spin bowling. Ashwin, along with Ravindra Jadeja, played a vital role in maintaining India's dominance during the morning session, accounting for crucial wickets including that of England's skipper, Ben Stokes, who managed only 3 runs before being dismissed by Jadeja.
The day's play showcased the fluctuating fortunes of both teams, with England bouncing back admirably after a shaky start, while India maintained their stronghold for significant periods. With India leading the five-Test series 2-1, the outcome of this match holds significant importance for both teams' aspirations in the series.
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As the match progresses, England will aim to build on the foundation laid by Root's century, while India will be eager to capitalize on their early breakthroughs and restrict England's total to gain a crucial advantage in the Test match.
Overall, the first day of the fourth Test in Ranchi provided compelling cricketing action, setting the stage for an intriguing battle between two formidable sides vying for supremacy in the series.
