India v/s England: Ashwin does it yet again

The beauty of a typically quality day of Test cricket is that a team can win battles but lose the war. On Thursday, England won two of the three sessions, yet India will feel like having won the day.

Cruising at 230/2, the visitors would have entertained thoughts of notching up 400-450 in their first innings. But a 10-over period in the final session in which Ravichandran Ashwin picked up three wickets brought the hosts roaring back into the game. Roaring ahead, in fact.

India restricted England to 288/5 at stumps on the first day of the fourth Test here with Ben Stokes (25*) and Jos Buttler (18*) staying put. Having lost a crucial toss and watching Keaton Jennings notch up a fine century on debut through the afternoon, India captain Virat Kohli might be a lot happier man at the end of the day than he was at the start.

The first hour of the morning was a test for Alastair Cook and Jennings, who appeared like a school kid giving his first exam in life. Umesh Yadav tested him with a few short balls in his first over, the 24-year-old playing both awkwardly. Sensing a weakness, Yadav banged another one down the pitch outside the off in the next over. Jennings played a nervous prod that went to gully, where Karun Nair spilled a tough one high to his right.

Three overs later, the youngster survived a Decision Review System (DRS) off Bhuvneshwar Kumar's bowling. Coming around the wicket, the seamer struck the southpaw's pad but the impact was slightly outside the off.

That was the last bit of uncertainty in the first hour. Jennings hit a couple of fours off Bhuvneshwar –who like a workhorse bowled eight overs in the first spell without causing trouble – and brought up his fifty off 89 balls.

Ashwin was brought into the attack as early as the eighth over but Cook took care of him, flicking and driving him for fours off consecutive balls in an over. The two openers were starting to fulfill England's promise of playing positive cricket, which eventually cost them their first wicket.

Kohli threw the ball to Ravindra Jadeja for the first time. Seeking to put the pressure on the bowler from the onset, Cook stepped down the pitch and missed the ball completely. Wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel fumbled a bit but completed the job. India were gifted a wicket, and that was their only moment of joy in the first session.

But the hosts took that joy into the second one, coming out tightening the screws on the English batsmen. Seven overs of persistent pressure by Jadeja and Ashwin bore fruit for the latter. The offie induced Joe Root to go for a drive but England's No. 3 edged it to Kohli at first slip, who took a smart, low catch to his left.

At the other end, though, Jennings's confidence was fast taking over his nervousness. The southpaw brought out the reverse sweep to counter the off-spin of Ashwin and Jayant Yadav, and smacked the latter for two fours to bring up England's 150. After a brief period on top, India soon went off the hook, Kohli looking bereft of ideas. The skipper also put down a flying tough chance at second slip when Moeen Ali was on 13.

Jennings and Ali pounced on India's inability to penetrate and convert those half chances and, rather quietly, the debutant brought up his century by reverse sweeping Yadav for four. The 24-year-old ensured the visitors went into tea right on top at 186/2.

But just like in the second session, the happier team dictated for the first hour after the break before squandering the hold. England came out playing shots after tea, Ali brining up his half-century in the 70th over.

Desperate for a wicket, Kohli summoned his best bowler. Ashwin eased his skipper's desperation immediately, Ali top-edging a sweep to midwicket off the offie's second ball to break the 94-run stand. Relief turned into jubilation a ball later. Jennings was done in by the guile of Ashwin, trying to defend a ball that turned slightly and took the edge to Cheteshwar Pujara at gully.

England's 230/2 became 230/4, and 249/5 10 overs later. Another English batsman couldn't resist the sweep, and this time Jonny Bairstow was unable to keep an Ashwin delivery down, getting caught at deep backward square-leg.

England were smiling at the start of the day, India at the end.

SCOREBOARD

India vs England
4th Test, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Day 1, December 8
Toss: England, elect to bat

England (1st innings) R B 4s 6s SR
A Cook st Patel b Jadeja 46 60 5 0 76.66
K Jennings c Pujara b Ashwin 112 219 13 0 51.14
J Root c Kohli b Ashwin 21 41 1 0 51.21
M Ali c Nair b Ashwin 50 104 4 1 48.07
J Bairstow c U Yadav b Ashwin 14 20 1 0 70.00
B Stokes batting 25 84 2 0 29.76
J Buttler batting 18 37 2 0 48.64
Extras (LB1, NB1) 2
Total (for 5 wkts, 94 overs) 288 (3.06 runs per over)
Fall of wickets: 1-99 (Cook, 25.3 ov), 2-136 (Root, 38.2 ov), 3-230 (Ali, 70.2 ov), 4-230 (Jennings, 70.4 ov), 5-249 (Bairstow, 80.2 ov)
Bowling: B Kumar 11-0-38-0, U Yadav 10-2-36-0, R Ashwin 30-3-75-4, J Yadav 22-3-78-0 (NB1), R Jadeja 21-3-60-1

ALL IN A DAY'S PLAY

SESSION 1

England begin well

England win the toss and have no hesitation to bat. After a period of test, openers Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings settle down nicely. With the team approaching 100, the captain throws his wicket away.
At lunch: England 117/1 in 31 overs (K Jennings 65*, J Root 5*)

SESSION 2

Century on debut

Indian bowlers keep it tight, and Ravichandran Ashwin is rewarded with the wicket of Joe Root. But Jennings continues after the break, bringing up a century on debut in the company of Moeen Ali.
At tea: England 196/2 in 62 overs (K Jennings 103*, M Ali 25*)

SESSION 3

Ashwin brings cheer to India

Jennings and Ali come out playing positively. But it's India who end up feeling positive. Ashwin gets Jennings and Ali in three balls, and then removes Jonny Bairstow as well. England ensure no further damage.
At stumps: England 288/5 in 94 overs (B Stokes 25*, J Buttler 18*)