Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], February 24 (ANI): Spinner Jack Leach dismissed Virat Kohli just before concluding minutes of the day’s play but Rohit Sharma hit fifty as India ended the opening day of the pink-ball Test against England in the driver’s seat at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday.
At stumps, India’s score reads 99/3 with Rohit and Ajinkya Rahane unbeaten on 57 and one runs respectively. The hosts are trailing by 13 runs in the first innings with seven wickets in the bag.
Ollie Pope put down a chance at gully as Jimmy Anderson nearly got rid of Kohli just before the concluding minutes of play and England could blame only themselves for not making any further inroads but Leach dismissed the Indian skipper to give the visitors some relief on the day one.
After surviving the five overs in the tricky twilight phase and then battling out for 14.5 overs and India lost their first wicket off the last ball of the 15th overs when Jofra Archer dismissed Shubman Gill for a 51-ball 11.
He skied an attempted pull to give Zak Crawley an easy catch. Minutes later, the hosts lost Cheteshwar Pujara as he was trapped in front by Jack Leach.
Meanwhile, Rohit continued his good form and completed his half-century. Rohit and Kohli also brought up the fifty runs partnership to steady the Indian ship after two quick wickets.
But Leach struck again to break the 64-run stand for the third wicket as Kohli chopped the ball onto his stumps.
Earlier, hometown boy Axar Patel and seasoned off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had a field day as India bundled out England for a paltry 112 in the first innings.
Axar, playing in just his second Test, scalped six wickets while Ashwin returned with three wickets as the visitors were bowled out in just 48.4 overs. This was Axar’s second five-wicket haul in a row as he had scalped five in the second innings of the second Test as well.
Kohli might have lost the toss in the third Test, but his bowlers ensured that the hosts dominated the first session.
If the former England players were critical of the Chepauk wicket, the lack of application from the English batsmen in the first innings of the third Test can have no excuse.
Playing down the wrong line was the crux of the story and just like the top-order batsmen, Jofra Archer (11) too tried to cut a straight delivery and was clean bowled by Axar as the visitors were reduced to 93/7.
This was Axar’s fourth scalp in the innings. Jack Leach (3), Stuart Broad (3), and Ben Foakes (12) all failed to stay at the crease for long and as a result, the hosts have given themselves the best possible chance to make this contest a one-sided affair.
Brief Scores: England 112 (Zak Crawley 53; Axar Patel 6-38); India 99/3 (Rohit Sharma 57*, Virat Kohli 27; Jack Leach 2-27) (ANI)

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], February 24 (ANI): England all-rounder Ben Stokes mistakenly applied saliva on the ball after the completion of the 12th over of the India innings in the third session of the pink-ball Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday.
As a precautionary measure against coronavirus, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has banned using saliva to shine the cricket ball. However, the players are allowed to use sweat as an alternative to shine the ball. Stokes’ mistake saw the umpire sanitise the ball before the action resumed.
A team can be issued up to two warnings per innings for the use of saliva, but repeated use will result in a 5-run penalty to the batting side, according to the ICC.
Meanwhile, after battling out for 14.5 overs, India lost their first wicket off the last ball of the 15th over when Jofra Archer dismissed Shubman Gill for a 51-ball 11. He skied an attempted pull to give Zak Crawley an easy catch. Minutes later, the hosts lost Cheteshwar Pujara as he was trapped in front by Jack Leach.
Earlier, hometown boy Axar Patel and seasoned off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had a field day as India bundled out England for a paltry 112 in the first innings.
Axar, playing in just his second Test, scalped six wickets while Ashwin returned with three wickets as the visitors were bowled out in just 48.4 overs. This was Axar’s second five-wicket haul in a row as he had scalped five in the second innings of the second Test as well.
Skipper Virat Kohli might have lost the toss in the third Test, but his bowlers ensured that the hosts dominated the first session.
If the former England players were critical of the Chepauk wicket, the lack of application from the English batsmen in the first innings of the third Test can have no excuse.
Playing down the wrong line was the crux of the story and just like the top-order batsmen, Jofra Archer (11) too tried to cut a straight delivery and was clean bowled by Axar as the visitors were reduced to 93/7. This was Axar’s fourth scalp in the innings. Jack Leach (3), Stuart Broad (3), and Ben Foakes (12) all failed to stay at the crease for long and as a result, the hosts have given themselves the best possible chance to make this contest a one-sided affair. (ANI)

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], February 24 (ANI): Seasoned off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Wednesday went past Zaheer Khan’s tally of 597 international wickets to climb to the fourth spot on the list of Indian bowlers with the most wickets in international cricket.
Ashwin dismissed Ollie Pope in the 28th over to overtake Zaheer’s tally at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday. Ashwin now has 599 wickets across formats and is only behind former skipper Anil Kumble (953), spinner Harbhajan Singh (707), and Kapil Dev (687). The off-spinner is also on the brink of becoming the fourth Indian bowler to take 400 Test wickets.
Ashwin is just three wickets away from the glorious milestone in the longest format of the game. In the ongoing pink-ball Test, Ashwin along with Axar Patel spun a web as India bundled out England for a paltry 112 in the first innings.
Axar, playing in just his second Test, scalped six wickets while Ashwin returned with three wickets as the visitors were bowled out in just 48.4 overs. This was Axar’s second five-wicket haul in a row as he had scalped five in the second innings of the second Test as well.
Skipper Virat Kohli might have lost the toss in the third Test, but his bowlers ensured that the hosts dominated the first session.
If the former England players were critical of the Chepauk wicket, the lack of application from the English batsmen in the first innings of the third Test can have no excuse.
Playing down the wrong line was the crux of the story and just like the top-order batsmen, Jofra Archer (11) too tried to cut a straight delivery and was clean bowled by Axar as the visitors were reduced to 93/7. This was Axar’s fourth scalp in the innings.
Jack Leach (3), Stuart Broad (3), and Ben Foakes (12) all failed to stay at the crease for long and as a result, the hosts have given themselves the best possible chance to make this contest a one-sided affair.
Meanwhile, India openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill batted out five overs in the tricky twilight phase as the hosts went into the dinner break in the driver’s seat. (ANI)

Melbourne [Australia], February 24 (ANI): Australia pacer Mitchell Starc and batting mainstay Steve Smith have pulled out from the New South Wales squad for the game against Victoria on Thursday.
Australia’s premier fast bowler will miss the clash after his father passed away from cancer on Tuesday. Starc’s wife Alyssa Healy will also miss the NSW Breakers’ WNCL match against Tasmania.
“Obviously it’s very sad, sad news. All our thoughts and prayers are going out to Mitch and his family,” cricket.com.au quoted teammate Nathan Lyon as saying.
“It’s obviously never great losing someone like that. It’s a tough time but he knows he’s got all our love and all our support from not just me but everyone here at NSW cricket and the cricket community as well,” he added.
Meanwhile, Smith has withdrawn due to an elbow issue he picked during the Test series against India in January.
“I have had some pain in my elbow that’s gradually worsened since the Test against India at the SCG and it requires some rest and rehab,” Smith said.
“I am hoping I will be right to travel with the Blues to Adelaide for our games down there next week but we will have to see how it responds to treatment,” he added.
Moreover, with the cancellation of the Test series against South Africa, Australian pacer Pat Cummins and wicket-keeper batsman Alex Carey will return to Sheffield Shield cricket to play their first match of the season after being included in the New South Wales and South Australia squads respectively.
Cummins comes into the squad in place of fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, who has been rested. The Australia pace spearhead Cummins had captained New South Wales in the Marsh Cup last week.
New South Wales coach Phil Jacques said that change was necessary to manage the defending champions’ pace battery. (ANI)

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], February 24 (ANI): Head coach Chris Silverwood had defended England’s rotation policy after the loss in the second Test in Chennai, but former skipper Michael Vaughan has slammed the team’s selection for the ongoing series against India.
Jos Buttler played the first Test and then he was back home while all-rounder Moeen Ali did the same after playing the second game.
Earlier Jonny Bairstow was rested for the first two Tests while premier pacer James Anderson missed the second game even after England emerged victorious in the opening game. This is all a part of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) rotation policy.
But Vaughan feels England shouldn’t have followed the concept of rotating players against the ‘best team in the world’. His remarks came during the ongoing pink-ball Test as England crumbled in front of the Indian spinners.
“England have treated selection for this series like premier league teams treat the early stages of the FA Cup rounds … #INDvENG Against the best team in the world !!!!!!!” Vaughan tweeted.
Axar Patel and seasoned off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had a field day as India bundled out England for a paltry 112 in the first innings on the opening day of the pink-ball Test here at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Axar, playing in just his second Test, scalped six wickets while Ashwin returned with three wickets as the visitors were bowled out in just 48.4 overs. This was Axar’s second five-wicket haul in a row as he had scalped five in the second innings of the second Test as well.
After the top order collapsed, Jack Leach (3), Stuart Broad (3), and Ben Foakes (12) all failed to stay at the crease for long and as a result, the hosts have given themselves the best possible chance to make this contest a one-sided affair. (ANI)

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], February 24 (ANI): India openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill batted out five overs in the tricky twilight phase as the hosts went into the dinner break in the driver’s seat on the opening day of the pink-ball Test against England at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday.
At the dinner break, India’s score read 5/0 with Rohit unbeaten on 5 and Gill yet to open his account. The hosts are trailing by 107 runs in the first innings with 10 wickets in the bag.
England saw a glimmer of hope when Gill was caught off Stuart Broad in the slips by Ben Stokes, but the third umpire decided that the all-rounder had grassed the catch. The overtuning of the soft signal from the onfield umpire did disappoint the England players, but Gill’s innings continued.
Earlier, hometown boy Axar Patel and seasoned off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had a field day as India bundled out England for a paltry 112 in the first innings.
Axar, playing in just his second Test, scalped six wickets while Ashwin returned with three wickets as the visitors were bowled out in just 48.4 overs. This was Axar’s second five-wicket haul in a row as he had scalped five in the second innings of the second Test as well.
Skipper Virat Kohli might have lost the toss in the third Test, but his bowlers ensured that the hosts dominated the first session.
Resuming the second session at 81/4, England got off to the worst possible start as both Ben Stokes (6) and Ollie Pope (1) were sent back to the pavilion. Stokes was trapped plumb in front of the wickets and as a result, Axar was rewarded with his third wicket. Ashwin on the other hand sent Pope packing for just 1.
If the former England players were critical of the Chepauk wicket, the lack of application from the English batsmen in the first innings of the third Test can have no excuse.
Playing down the wrong line was the crux of the story and just like the top-order batsmen, Jofra Archer (11) too tried to cut a straight delivery and was clean bowled by Axar as the visitors were reduced to 93/7. This was Axar’s fourth scalp in the innings.
Jack Leach (3), Stuart Broad (3), and Ben Foakes (12) all failed to stay at the crease for long and as a result, the hosts have given themselves the best possible chance to make this contest a one-sided affair.
Brief Scores: England 112 (Zak Crawley 53; Axar Patel 6-38); India 5/0 (ANI)