England staged an incredible comeback and emerged victorious by 28 runs, taking a 1-0 lead in the series.
India's captain, Rohit Sharma, was unable to identify a specific reason for their shocking loss in the first Test of the ongoing five-match series against England in Hyderabad on Sunday. This defeat marked the first time India had lost a Test match at home after taking a lead of over 100 runs in the first innings. England staged an incredible comeback and emerged victorious by 28 runs, taking a 1-0 lead in the series.
Initially, it seemed that the Asian giants were on track for a customary victory at home, having secured a lead of 190 runs in the first innings. However, England's aggressive batting approach, led by Ollie Pope's outstanding second innings score of 196, changed the game. They amassed 420 runs in the third innings, setting India a challenging target of 231 in Hyderabad, where no team had successfully chased more than 70 runs in the past.
India's renowned spin duo, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, were put under immense pressure in the second innings by Ollie Pope's unconventional style of play, which exemplified England's revitalized Test approach. This match marked the first time both Jadeja and Ashwin had conceded over 100 runs in the second innings of a Test match at home. England gained momentum as Tom Hartley and Rehan Ahmed also made valuable contributions. Jasprit Bumrah emerged as India's standout bowler, taking four wickets, including the crucial dismissal of Ollie Pope, who was bowled out for 196.
India lacked the fearlessness that England displayed with the bat, as they passively awaited events to unfold on a fourth-day pitch in Hyderabad. Unfortunately, their lack of proactiveness proved costly.
In the final innings, left-arm spinner Tom Hartley, who had been mercilessly attacked in the first innings, managed to redeem himself by claiming an impressive 7 wickets. Despite some resistance from the lower-order batters, India was ultimately bundled out for a mere 202 runs.
"Overall, we failed as a team. We didn't bat well enough. I wanted them (Siraj and Bumrah) to take the game to the fifth day. The lower order fought really well there. You need to be brave enough, which I thought we weren't," Rohit Sharma said after the defeat in Hyderabad.
India will seek to make a strong comeback when the two teams clash in Visakhapatnam on February 2nd.
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 "'Wanted Siraj and Bumrah to....': Rohit Sharma reacts to India’s 28-run loss in Hyderabad Test")
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