[themaclad]

BEEB REPORT

First LV= Insurance Test, Trent Bridge
England 183: Root 64, Bumrah 4-46, Shami 3-28
India 21-0
India trail by 162 runs

England began their series against India in depressingly predictable fashion with another atrocious batting collapse at Trent Bridge.

The home side were bundled out for 183 on the opening day of the first Test, at one stage losing six wickets for 22 runs in 9.5 overs.

They were indebted to captain Joe Root, who stroked a classy 64 and added 72 with Jonny Bairstow.

But it was Bairstow's demise on the stroke of tea that sparked the carnage, with Sam Curran's cavalier 27 not out late on adding to the chaos.

India's four-pronged pace attack was superb, bowling a full length to utilise the assistance on offer, particularly when the floodlights were turned on.

Jasprit Bumrah claimed 4-46 and Mohammed Shami 3-28 for the tourists, who could even afford to omit masterful off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

India moved to 21-0 by the close, with openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul largely untroubled.

The forecast is mixed for the remaining four days, but India may have already made a decisive move towards going 1-0 up in the five-Test series.

England beat India 4-1 here three years ago, but before this contest began there was a growing feeling that the tourists could earn their first victory in this country for 14 years.

Virat Kohli's men claimed a famous series win in Australia during the winter and appear to have all the tools to be successful in the UK.

England, on the other hand, have an inexperienced, inconsistent batting line-up and are missing the talismanic Ben Stokes, who has taken a break from the game to prioritise his mental wellbeing. Without the all-rounder, the hosts are struggling to balance their attack, and once again left out spinner Jack Leach.

Does anyone think England will win the series? Pundits make their predictions
In addition, they have had almost no preparation for this game. Only Rory Burns and Dom Sibley have faced more than 100 deliveries in first-class cricket since the series defeat by New Zealand in June.

Zak Crawley had faced six, while Root, Bairstow, Dan Lawrence, Jos Buttler and Sam Curran had not played a single red-ball innings. In the case of Bairstow, Buttler and Curran, their last first-class cricket came on the winter tours of Sri Lanka and India.

On a pitch that gradually lost its green tinge under a sky that became increasingly leaden, England's deficiencies were laid bare in a familiar clatter of wickets.


50.2 overs - Bairstow lbw Shami 29 (138-4) - Recalled once more, Bairstow looked in good order, only to fall to an old problem, one that nipped back to trap him in front.
50.6 overs - Lawrence c Pant b Shami 0 (138-5) - In the same Shami over, but the other side of tea, Lawrence followed one down the leg side and was absolutely crestfallen as he departed.
55.5 overs - Buttler c Pant b Bumrah 0 (145-6) - Playing red-ball cricket for the first time in six months, Buttler endured a torturous 18 deliveries before edging Bumrah behind.
58.1 overs - Root lbw Shakur 64 (155-7) - The captain batted beautifully, but even he was guilty of a poor error, playing across the line to the first ball of a new spell.
58.4 overs - Robinson c Shami b Thakur 0 (155-8) - Recalled after the controversy of historic tweets that overshadowed his debut, Ollie Robinson played an awful shovel to mid-on.
59.6 overs - Broad lbw Bumrah 4 (9-160) - Sitting on the back foot, Broad was pinned by an arrowing Bumrah yorker.
Root shoulders England burden
Where might England be without their captain?

In the absence of Stokes, who is not only Root's vice-captain but also his great friend, the skipper is the lone class act in the batting line-up.

Root was initially skittish, taking three fours off his first six balls, but grew into an innings of class that yielded his 50th Test half-century and also took him past Alastair Cook's tally of 15,737 to become England's highest run-scorer in all international cricket.

That he fell amid the collapse tells a story - it is too much for England to keep relying on Root.

This summer and in the Ashes in Australia this winter, England will struggle if the batters fail to support the skipper.

Like England, India have done little in the run-up to this series. Since losing the World Test Championship final to New Zealand in June they have played one warm-up match and trained among themselves.

However, if their stellar batting line-up can get to grips with English conditions, their skilful bowlers have the ability to trouble the hosts, as was proved in Nottingham.

With the ball swinging throughout, India were relentless on a full length, providing a persistent examination which England ultimately failed.

There were surreal moments, too. In the same over that Crawley survived a review for caught behind off Mohammed Siraj, excitable captain Kohli opted for another, and was vindicated second time around.


'England just crumpled' - what they said
England batting coach Marcus Trescothick on BBC Test Match Special: "There's a lot of white-ball cricket in the middle of summer - that's always a challenge. We'd like a bit more red-ball cricket.

"They (the players) felt good coming in. You walk out of the nets feeling good. Maybe the battle of a real Test match just highlighted that you need a little bit more."

Former England spinner Vic Marks: "After that Root-Bairstow partnership, the rest of the England team just crumpled.

"Bumrah was exceptional but England have really squandered an opportunity today."

India all-rounder Shardul Thakur: "It was a good battle between bat and ball in the morning. In the afternoon we felt it would be a good pitch to bat on but the wicket of Jonny Bairstow opened them up."


Archer will not play again this year

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Pendulum swinging back a bit before light and rain did for us. India four down and still trailing by 58. Need to keep the pressure up when play restarts, and Rahul's wicket is massive.

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Hey, you know what would attract fans to cricket? Not fannying about for an eternity when it stops raining, wasting valuable time that could be spent in the middle. Twice in the last hour we've had a "restart", the first lasted for precisely one delivery, the second for two. Both times they could have been back out at least ten minutes earlier, if not more. Utterly ridiculous.

Frustration, thy name is Test cricket.

[themaclad]

BEEB VIEW

First LV= Insurance Test, Trent Bridge (day two of five)
England 183: Root 64, Bumrah 4-46, Shami 3-28
India 125-4: Rahul 57*
India trail by 58 runs

James Anderson led an exhilarating England fightback before the weather curtailed the second day of the first Test against India.

Anderson took two wickets in two balls - including India captain Virat Kohli for a golden duck - in a thrilling passage of play at Trent Bridge.

That was part of an India slide of four wickets for 15 runs, the tourists falling from 97-0 to 112-4.

They had reached 125-4, only 58 behind England's 183 all out, when bad light and rain sent the players off at 14:30 BST.

They returned for one delivery at 16:15 and two at 17:00, only for the rain to reappear on both occasions.

It could have been even better for England had Dom Sibley held KL Rahul at second slip on 52 during Anderson's skilful spell.

Rahul remains on 57 not out, with the dangerous Rishabh Pant on seven.

The weather forecast is mixed for the remainder of the match, and warnings are in place over thunderstorms due on Friday.


For a while it looked as though England were suffering a hangover from a dismal first-day batting display, their mood as dark as the clouds that slowly engulfed the ground.

Rahul and Rohit Sharma batted beautifully throughout almost the entire morning session, sharing 97 for the first wicket.

There was little wrong with England's display - they arguably bowled too wide and failed to test Rahul and Rohit with the short ball - but the home side seemed lacking in energy, spirit and fight.

Then, when Rohit, on 36, sloppily helped a bouncer from wholehearted Ollie Robinson to long leg, England were transformed.



They returned after lunch full of venom, carrying a threat with every delivery that was sent down under the floodlights.

Cheteshwar Pujara overturned being given lbw to Robinson before he edged Anderson behind. From the next ball, Kohli poked at a wide one to send the crowd into rapture.

From a position of control, India were frantic. Ajinkya Rahane could have been run out had Dan Lawrence's throw hit, then was run out when Jonny Bairstow's throw did.

After that came the Sibley drop, low to his left, and India would have been glad to escape to the sanctuary of the dressing rooms.



Anderson, now 39, managed only three wickets in the 2-0 series defeat by New Zealand in June and was off colour in his short spell of bowling on Wednesday evening.

His battle against Kohli was a feature of England's 4-1 series win here three years ago and England's all-time leading wicket-taker was back to his masterful best to land the first blow this time around.

After Pujara feathered a beautiful delivery that angled in and nipped away, the stage was set for a moment of sporting theatre.

With Anderson roared to the crease, Kohli needlessly felt for the ball. As the edge nestled into the gloves of Jos Buttler, Anderson wheeled away in ecstatic celebration while Kohli stood in disbelief before dragging himself away.

Stuart Broad conducted the crowd for the hat-trick ball, which Rahane survived.

Anderson ended the day with miserly figures of 2-15 from 13.4 overs, his name being sung as the players departed for the final time.



England bowler James Anderson told BBC Sport: "We're in the game. We saw in our innings and in theirs that there are times you can build partnerships. We also saw wickets can fall in clusters."

Former England captain Michael Vaughan on BBC Test Match Special: "From 97-0 to taking four wickets quite quickly, England have just given themselves a glimmer. You can see India losing a few more quick ones and that tail is not long.

"Joe Root will not sleep well tonight knowing Rishabh Pant is still there. If he stays there for another 20 minutes tomorrow, that lead will be gone. Who knows what will happen?"

Former England spinner Vic Marks: "The good thing is that this game is quite well advanced. You could still lose a significant amount of time and still get a positive result."

[themaclad]

Ravindra Jadeja pulled out his sword celebration, Jasprit Bumrah hit a six and also his top score in Tests, Mohammed Shami displayed text-book defensive pushes, and Mohammed Siraj had some fun too as India's much-maligned lower order took them into a position of strength, a first-innings lead of 95 runs, in the Trent Bridge Test. Not before KL Rahul added 27 to his already fine overnight 57.
Rain, though, frustrated them as only 49.2 overs of cricket was possible on the third day, England playing out the 11.1 bowled to them without the loss of a wicket. India now have a maximum of 196 overs to force a result in.
Not long ago, in the World Test Championship final in the same country but against a different opponent, India lost their seventh wicket on 205, the same score as here, but lost the remaining three for 12 runs. Then the last four added 28 in the second innings. The difference in two lower orders - home ones generally tend to outscore their opponents - was believed to be the difference between the two sides leading into the series.
Then Ben Stokes pulled out. Suddenly England didn't have the depth either in their batting or bowling. India ran through their lower order, and batted against an attack whose fourth and final bowler was Sam Curran. And Stuart Broad was having a second consecutive off day. A combination of better resolve from the batters, less incisive change-up bowlers, and some luck - three dropped catches and five missed run-outs in all - meant India enjoyed being at the other end of three frustrating lower-order stands, worth 73 in all.
That in mind, James Anderson and Ollie Robinson did well - splitting nine wickets between them, including a maiden five-for for Robinson - to keep the lead down to two figures.
The day began precariously amid rain breaks. India were 58 behind with Rahul and Rishabh Pant in the middle. Pant was going to play his shots. And so he did. A few came off before he chipped one to short cover to de dismissed for 25 off 20. Along the way he became India's highest run-getter in Tests this year.
Rahul nearly ran Jadeja out when he was four, but Dan Lawrence felt he had less time than he actually did. Instead of lobbing the ball to the wicketkeeper, he went for the direct hit and missed. Jadeja then went on to show why he has been among the best Test allrounders in the world since 2018 and why he provides India the flexibility to play five bowlers.
Story Image
A little sun and plenty of rain make for a dramatic scene at Trent Bridge Getty Images
Rahul and Jadeja came together with India still 38 behind, and given the tail behind them they needed a big stand to retain the advantage in the Test. They added 60 runs and also saw off the most testing spell of the day when Anderson and Robinson bowled together. Joe Root dropped Rahul off Anderson during this period, but two boundaries later, Anderson produced a thinner edge to have him caught by the keeper. By then, India were in the lead, and Rahul had once again adapted to a new role - remember he was now being looked at as a middle-order batter - to make himself a place in the side.
Shardul Thakur fell for a duck, and India were just 22 ahead with three proverbial Nos 11 to follow. Things were different here, though. The bowling didn't have that sting for starters. Shami chose to play sensibly, and it came off too. In a 25-ball partnership, Jadeja manipulated the strike to face 22 and scored 24 off them.

Jadeja fell trying to hit Robinson over the field that had come up for the last ball of the over, but England still couldn't get the swift end they were after. Anderson himself proceeded to drop Shami. Bumrah batted with steely resolve. Shanks cleared the infield, and the better ones came right off the middle. He even hit Curran for a stunningly flat pulled six.
By the time Robinson took his fifth, and India's last, wicket, England had been kept in the field for 84.5 overs. Curran bowled only 15 of those, and Broad went at 3.5 an over. India were going to operate with a more evenly spread-out attack.
However, in the few overs that were possible before rain ended the day's play prematurely, the pitch looked a little settled. It was also evident from how India operated with just two slips and a gully. India still drew 11 mistakes in that period, which means it was not a flatbed. Eyes were also on the overheads: clouds were expected to bring assistance for India, but rain could deny them the time needed to inflict damage.

ESPN VIEW

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Well we got the lead up over 200, but good grief, there were some weak dismissals in that innings. Root carrying the whole side on his shoulders. Other batsmen getting starts but then throwing it away just when they needed to push on. India need 209, England need some fireworks from Broad and Anderson.

[themaclad]

BEEB VIEW

England 183 (Root 64; Bumrah 4-46) & 303 (Root 109, Bumrah 5-64)
India 278 (Rahul 84, Robinson 5-85) & 52-1
India need a further 157 runs to win

Joe Root stroked a century of the highest class to give England hope of beating India in a see-saw first Test at Trent Bridge.

On a compelling, thrilling and competitive fourth day, captain Root was magnificent in making 109.

With Sam Curran, Jonny Bairstow, Dom Sibley and Dan Lawrence chipping in, England - who at one stage looked in danger of being beaten with a day to spare - reached 303 in their second innings, setting India 209 to win.

Pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah ran through the lower order with the second new ball to take 5-64 and finish with match figures of 9-110.

India were given an hour to bat and looked set to come through unscathed before Stuart Broad had KL Rahul caught behind for 26.

There was still time for Rohit Sharma to survive a tense England review as India closed on 52-1, needing another 157 for victory.



'There have been times in this match when England looked floored - when they were bowled out for 183 in the first innings, when India reached 205-5 in response and when England found themselves 46-2 on the fourth morning.

However, thanks to the sheer brilliance of Root, they are still in the contest going into what could be a grandstand final day.

On top of Root's knock, a packed Trent Bridge was treated to the skill of Bumrah and the shots of Curran and Bairstow. Even Sibley's vigil was strangely satisfying.



There were moments of pure theatre. As India burned their final review in a desperate bid to remove Root, Virat Kohli was taunted by the home fans. Curran duelled with Mohammed Siraj, while Kohli went face-to-face with Ollie Robinson.

As India began their chase, the growing gloom added to the drama, play seemingly always on the verge of being suspended until the sun appeared for Broad to remove Rahul.

Rain is forecast for Sunday, but it was also due to spoil what turned out to be a memorable Saturday. The hope is that this absorbing contest can be played to a conclusion.


For much of 2021, Root has almost single-handedly carried England's flimsy batting. This was more of the same, a captain's knock that altered their course from defeat to an outside chance of victory.

When Root arrived, England were still 49 behind, yet he instantly changed the tempo with flowing cover drives and urgent running.

He added 89 with Sibley, who twice could have been run out and overturned an lbw in his 28 from 133 balls. Bairstow, with 30, Lawrence's 25 and a punchy 32 from Curran provided further support.

When Root drove down the ground to reach his 21st Test century, it sparked prolonged and emotional celebrations, with the Yorkshireman signalling to wife Carrie and beating his chest in the direction of the vocal England fans.

Root fell in Bumrah's first over with the second new ball, sparking a final England slide of four wickets for 29 runs.

He left to a rapturous ovation, with everyone inside Trent Bridge knowing they had witnessed one of the great Test innings.


They were helped by some loose shots. Sibley drove at a wide one to give an inside edge, Bairstow sloppily pulled straight to deep square leg and Jos Buttler was bowled offering no stroke.



And, just as Root and Curran were building momentum and India were feeling the heat from the crowd, Bumrah intervened.

Extra bounce induced an edge from Root, Curran shovelled to mid-on and Stuart Broad was bowled first ball off his pads by a searing inswinging yorker.

Robinson's slice to third man was the signal for the chase to begin, Rohit and Rahul facing a potentially perilous period against a revved-up England.

The openers managed to silence the crowd, only for Broad to change ends and remove Rahul, before Rohit and Cheteshwar Pujara added some late runs on what remains a true pitch.

'One of the great innings of all time' - what they said
Former England captain Michael Vaughan on BBC Test Match Special: "We have witnessed one of the great innings of all time. We have seen Root play plenty of magnificent innings but that was just pure.



"It was a wonderful day of Test cricket. From where England were two days ago to where they are now, they have a glimmer of hope of winning because of their captain."

Former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta: "This has been a great advert for Test cricket. It has seemed like every over, maybe even every delivery, has been a key moment.

"Joe Root, what a masterclass. He showed how good he is and how far he is head and shoulders above the rest of England's batters."

BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew: "If you think of that target as an apple, India have taken a healthy bite out of it."

[themaclad]

No play draw

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Weather's ridden to England's rescue, teams have shaken hands on a draw. Bit of batting practice required before the second Test, methinks.

[themaclad]

Broad out for the series also Anderson May be injured as well