Akash Deep bagged 3 wickets for India on Day 1 of Ranchi Test© BCCI
Debutant fast bowler Akash Deep got off to a flying start in the Indian Test team, scalping three wickets to help Rohit Sharma’s men reduce England to 112 for 5 at lunch on the opening day of the fourth Test on Friday. Akash seemed to have gotten his first wicket in the form of Zak Crawley when he sent the England opener’s stumps cartwheeling but the delivery turned out to be a no-ball. Unperturbed by the incident, Akash then re-focused himself and bagged three wickets to mark a memorable debut in the whites for the Indian team.
Making his Test debut in place of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who has been rested, the 27-year-old Akash Deep (3/24) recovered from a no-ball setback to dismiss Ben Duckett (11), Ollie Pope (0) and Zak Crawley (42) and leave England reeling at 57 for 3.
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Crawley was lucky to not head to the pavillion when Akash first dismissed him on a no-ball. But, the second time, the second time, luck had run out for the England star.
After England were reduced to 57/3, spinners jumped into action, with Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja bagging one wicket each. Jonny Bairstow looked good for the first time in this series, smashing a 35-ball 38 with four boundaries and a six before Ashwin (1/17) trapped him in front.
England skipper Ben Stokes, who hasn’t put a big score against his name in thi series, could only score three runs before he was dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja (1/28) plumb LBW as India dominated the morning session.
Joe Root (16 not out) was at the crease at the break as Lunch was called by the officials. India are leading the five-Test series 2-1.
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