Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 13 (ANI): Moeen Ali on Saturday became the first spinner to dismiss India skipper Virat Kohli for a duck in Test cricket.
Moeen Ali bowled a stunning delivery and it turned to rattle the stumps of Virat Kohli (0) in the first session on day one of the ongoing second Test between India and England here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
This is the 11th time that Kohli has been dismissed for a duck in Tests. James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Pat Cummins, Ben Hilfenhaus, Mitchell Starc, Suranga Lakmal, Abu Jayed, Liam Plunkett, Ravi Rampaul, and Kemar Roach are the other ten bowlers to have dismissed Kohli for zero in Tests.
Rohit Sharma scored a quickfire half-century but India lost crucial wickets of Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Kohli as England gained an upper hand in the first session on day one of the ongoing second Test. At the lunch break, India’s score reads 106/3 with Rohit and Ajinkya Rahane currently unbeaten on 80 and 5 respectively. The first session saw 106 runs being scored from 26 overs.
Opting to bat first, India got off to the worst start possible as the hosts lost the wicket of Gill (0) in just the second over of the day. Olly Stone trapped Gill right in front and as a result, the right-hander was adjudged leg-before wicket. Pujara then joined Rohit in the middle and the duo retrieved the innings for the hosts.
While Pujara played in his trademark fashion, Rohit was quick to capitalise on the loose balls and he ensured that the scoreboard kept moving at a brisk pace. Rohit brought up his fifty off just 47 balls in just the 15th over of the innings and he was looking in ominous form.
Both the batters were not looking in any sort of trouble but just 20 minutes before the lunch break, spinner Jack Leach got the better of Pujara (21) and as a result, the batsman was sent back to the pavilion. This dismissal also brought an end to an 85-run stand between Pujara and Rohit.
Earlier, skipper Kohli had won the toss and he opted to bat first. The hosts made three changes to their lineup as they brought in Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj in place of Shahbaz Nadeem, Washington Sundar, and Jasprit Bumrah.
On the other hand, England made four changes as the side brought in Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, Olly Stone, and Ben Foakes in place of Dominic Bess, Jofra Archer, James Anderson, and Jos Buttler.
England is already 1-0 up in the four-match series and India needs to win the series by at least a margin of 2-1 in order to make the finals of the World Test Championship (WTC). (ANI)