Cricket-England 89-1 after conceding big lead against India

Cricket – First Test – India v England – Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, India – January 27, 2024 England’s Zak Crawley in action REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas

By Amlan Chakraborty

HYDERABAD, India (Reuters) – England reached 89 for one in their battle to save the opening test against India having conceded a chunky lead on day three of the match at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday.

Cricket – First Test – India v England – Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, India – January 27, 2024 England’s Ben Duckett in action REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas

India were all out for 436 inside the first hour, losing their last three wickets for no run, to grab a first-innings lead of 190.

Ben Duckett was leading England’s fightback with an unbeaten 38, while Ollie Pope was batting on 16 at the lunch break.

Cricket – First Test – India v England – Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, India – January 27, 2024 India fans in the stands during the match REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas

Earlier, India added 15 runs to their overnight score before losing their last three wickets.

Part-time spinner Joe Root was pick of the English bowlers, claiming 4-79.

The off-spinner dismissed Ravindra Jadeja (87) and Jasprit Bumrah with successive deliveries but was denied a hat-trick by Mohammed Siraj.

Axar Patel was the last Indian batter to fall after his useful cameo of 44.

England began brightly in their second innings with Zak Crawley (31) and Duckett frequently employing the sweep shot — both traditional and reverse — to negate the threats posed by the India spinners.

Crawley stepped out to hit Patel into the sightscreen and motored along at a run-a-ball rate but could not convert the start.

Cricket – First Test – India v England – Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, India – January 27, 2024 India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal in action fielding REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin induced an edge from the opener and India captain Rohit Sharma gleefully grabbed the catch at the lone slip to dismiss Crawley.

Cricket – First Test – India v England – Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, India – January 27, 2024 India’s Ravichandran Ashwin celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of England’s Zak Crawley, caught out by Rohit Sharma REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in Hyderabad; Editing by Kim Coghill)