India reached a commanding total of 421 for 7, leading England's first innings total by 175 runs.
India demonstrated that there are multiple strategies to achieve success as they continued their dominant performance against England in the first Test on Friday, January 26. While Yashavi Jaiswal's impressive innings of 76 stole the show on the opening day, India took a more traditional approach to batting as the pitch at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium began to slow down and offer more turn.
Although Yashavi Jaiswal only added 4 runs to his overnight score, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja both scored over fifty runs, receiving support from players like Shreyas Iyer (35), wicketkeeper Srikar Bharat (41), and Axar Patel (35 not out). As the day came to a close, India reached a commanding total of 421 for 7, leading England's first innings total by 175 runs.
Some pundits believed that England's score of 246 was competitive, and India's unexpectedly aggressive approach on Day 1 was seen as a calculated move to accumulate as many runs as possible before the pitch became difficult to play on. However, India's batsmen once again proved that there are opportunities to score on spin-friendly pitches, as long as they are willing to adapt to the conditions.
With the exception of Shubman Gill, who appeared hesitant in the middle, every other Indian batsman looked comfortable and refused to give an inch to England, led by Ben Stokes. Ravindra Jadeja, in particular, displayed confidence while batting with the lower-middle order, while KL Rahul made excellent use of the opportunity to bat at No. 4 in the absence of Virat Kohli, continuing his impressive form in the middle order.
Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel provided an exhilarating display of batting prowess, much to the delight of the massive crowd that had gathered in Hyderabad on the national holiday. The duo fearlessly attacked the England spinners in the final stages of the game, extending the play by an additional half-hour. India, determined to establish a commanding lead, ensured their total surpassed 400, reaching a seemingly insurmountable 171.
Jadeja, displaying remarkable resilience, remained unbeaten on 81, forming an unbeaten partnership of 63 runs with Axar. This showcased India's formidable all-round strength, despite the unfortunate run-out of R Ashwin, a player with five Test centuries, who was dismissed for a mere 1.
As the late afternoon approached and the umpires called for Stumps, the English bowlers and fielders wore expressions of exhaustion. They were well aware that even a target of 171 would be an arduous challenge to overcome when they will be required to bat again.
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 "IND vs ENG, 1st Test Day 2: KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja shine as India dominate England in Hyderabad")
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