IND vs ENG: Ben Stokes brings Bazball to India even as teammates persish against Ashwin, Axar and Jadeja

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IND vs ENG: England applied the Bazball approach straight up in the first session of the first Test against India at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. However, Indian spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel soon deflated the Bazball and bundled out England for 246 in 64.3 overs.

England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett scored 53 runs in the first 11 overs. But three wickets in the next six overs brought a timely check on the approach of the vistors. Even through vistors kept the run rate hovering around four, India kept on striking at regular intervals to reduce the English side to 193/8 in 55 overs.

Ben Duckett (35 off 39) was trapped by Ashwin in front of the stump, before Jadeja removed Ollie Pope (1) after a sharp catch from Rohit Sharma at slip. Zak Crawley (20 off 40) was Ashwin's second victim of the day.

A threatening 61-run partnership brewed between Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow. But none of the batters tried to impose themselves on the Indian spinners. The partnership came off 105 balls.

Joe Root was dismissed by Jadeja for the ninth time - most by any bowler in Test cricket. The former captain, who went against his reputation and played several T20 shots in the Ashes 2023, could score just 29 runs off 60 balls.

Bairstow, one of the key missionaries of England's Bazball approach, was clean bowled by Axar Patel for 37 off 58 balls. Wicketkeeper-batter Ben Foakes scored four from 24 balls.

Ben Stokes brings Bazball to India

With England six down for 137, it looked as if England would find it really hard to go past 200, but their talismanic leader turned up the heat with the ball and made it clear that Bazball was not an option but a way England would express themselves even when their chips are down.

Stokes smashed six fours and three sixes to take England to 246. The southpaw took a special liking for Jadeja. Five of his six fours and two of his three sixes came against the left-arm spinner. Even when he was clean bowled by Bumrah, he looked to give himself room and hit another boundary.

Ahead of the Test, Mohammed Siraj had declared that England's Bazball approach might help India win the games in short duration.

England scored 246 runs at a run rate of 3.81. In case, India takes a massive first innings lead, England might have to review their strategy or actually see Siraj's prophecy coming true.