On the debut Test match, fast bowler Akash Deep made a remarkable impact with a fiery opening spell, leaving England reeling at 112 for 5 by lunch on the first day of the fourth Test match. Choosing to bat after winning the toss, England faced the heat from the aggressive bowling of the 27-year-old Akash Deep, originally from Bihar but honed his skills playing domestic cricket in Bengal.
The young pacer showcased his skills by hitting the deck hard and utilizing both swing and seam movement effectively. Despite having to wait a bit, Akash Deep eventually claimed three crucial wickets, dismissing Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, and Zak Crawley in quick succession. His figures of 3/24 in his debut Test spell were impressive, complemented by Ravichandran Ashwin's (1/17) and Ravindra Jadeja's (1/28) contributions.
Though Akash Deep showed early promise, he was guilty of overstepping on occasion, as seen when he uprooted Crawley's off-stump but was called for a no-ball. On the other hand, senior pacer Mohammed Siraj struggled to find his rhythm, allowing the English openers to settle in comfortably.
Crawley, especially, took advantage of Siraj's inconsistencies, launching a counter-attack with a flurry of boundaries and a well-timed six. However, Akash Deep regained momentum with a crucial double-wicket over, aided by a successful review.
The young bowler's maiden wicket of Duckett was followed by the dismissal of Pope, who fell victim to a sharp incoming delivery. Akash Deep continued his onslaught by removing Crawley with a similar delivery, ending his spell on a high note with figures of 3/24.
England found a moment of stability with a 50-plus partnership between Bairstow and Root, but their hopes were dashed as Bairstow fell to Ashwin's cunning tactics, giving the off-spinner his 100th wicket against England. Jadeja then struck gold by dismissing the England skipper right before the lunch break, further adding to India's dominance in the opening session of the Test match.
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