Pink Ball Test: India 99/3 After Bowling England Out For 112

India took charge of the third Test on the first day itself with local boy Axar Patel, the left-arm spinner, leading the way with the second-best spell in day-night Test matches, picking six wickets for 38 to help bowl out England for just 112 in the first innings here on Wednesday. 

Brief Scores 

England - 112 all out in 48.4 overs (Zak Crawley 53, Joe Root 17; Axar Patel 6/38, R Ashwin 3/6)

India -  99/3 (R Sharma 57 batting, J Leach 2/27)

Pink Ball Test: India vs England Day 1 Report 

With the series poised at 1-1, England won the toss and chose to bat but survived only 48.4 overs.

Ishant Sharma, who was playing his 100th test match, gave India the initial breakthrough in the third over of the match with the dismissal of opener Dom Sibley. Axar Patel then trapped Jonny Bairstow in front of the stumps off his very first ball of the match.

Captain Joe Root then stuck with Zak Crawley as the latter hit a counter-attacking half-century. However, the pair couldn't see England through to the end of the first session, with Root falling to Ashwin for 17. Axar then snaffled the wicket of Crawley towards the end of the session with the England opener departing for 53.

13 Wickets In The First Day Of 3rd Test!!

Latest Cricket News @ https://t.co/pFne6ZJBoJ
.
.#indveng #indiancricket #teamindia #english #pinkballtest #motera #ahmedabad #testcricket #daynighttest pic.twitter.com/AYX0ZtqSkv

— CRICKETNMORE (@cricketnmore) February 24, 2021

 

Ollie Pope was bowled by Ashwin in the very first over the session, as he was deceived by a straight delivery that followed three consecutive balls that turned. Ben Stokes fell to Patel leg before the wicket in the next over, the dismissal being confirmed by the third umpire despite Stokes going for the review after the on-field umpire raised his finger.

Jofra Archer and Ben Foakes survived the next five overs before the former became Patel's fourth wicket of the day. Ashwin struck again two overs later as Jack Leach edged the third delivery of his over to gully.

Patel then waited for just under 10 overs for his next wicket as Stuart Broad holed out at deep square leg. Ben Foakes was the last wicket to fall for England as he was bowled by Patel in the 49th over.

Only the loss of captain Virat Kohli in the final over spoiled the opening day as India moved to 99 for three at the world's biggest cricket stadium with Rohit Sharma on 57 and Ajinkya Rahane on one. 

The Indian captain saw one tough chance dropped by Ollie Pope on 24 but soon after chopped Leach's left-arm spin on to his stumps and walked off visibly furious with himself.

India had earlier lost Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara early, both falling within six balls.

 

Out Or Not Out?

Latest Cricket News @ https://t.co/pFne6ZJBoJ
.
.#INDvENG #indveng #indiancricket #teamindia #english #pinkballtest #motera #ahmedabad #testcricket #daynighttest pic.twitter.com/m3kYJDUeIT

— CRICKETNMORE (@cricketnmore) February 24, 2021

Only half the tickets have been put on sale due to the coronavirus pandemic and a turnout of over 30,000 was reported on the opening day.

India's innings witnessed drama after the new LED lights went off for two minutes in the second over and then for 30 seconds in the 12th.

A young pitch invader also made his way onto the field in the final session and attempted to get close to Kohli before being escorted away by security guards.

England were frustrated by two TV umpire calls, including a stumping chance of Sharma, on 53, and a Ben Stokes catch that was turned down early in the innings. Skipper Root had a long conversation with the on-field umpire on both occasions.