England stun India to claim impressive first Test victory

Joe Root's men inflict upon the hosts their first home defeat in four years to go 1-0 up in the series after a sensational fifth-day display in Chennai

Chennai: England 578 & 178 v India 337 & 192 - England won by 227 runs

Scorecard

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England pulled off one of their greatest away wins to defeat India by 227 runs in the first Test in Chennai.

Virat Kohli's men were bowled out for 192 on day five at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium after the tourists took the remaining nine wickets needed to go 1-0 up in the series.

James Anderson was the unlikely hero, with a fine display of reverse-swing bowling to blow a hole in the hosts' middle order. Jack Leach and Dom Bess also chimed in with important breakthroughs to cap off a dominant performance from start to finish.

Kohli provided some resistance with a belligerent half-century but it was not enough for the hosts to save the game.

It was India's first home Test defeat for four years and just the second in the last 37 on their own patch.

But from the moment England captain Joe Root won the toss and chose to bat the home side were on the back foot, and never fully recovered.

Root continued his virtuoso winter becoming the first player to score a double century, the fifth of his career, in his 100th Test.

Fifties for Dom Sibley (87) and the returning Ben Stokes (82) pushed England to 578, their second-highest score in India.

Scoreboard pressure ensured that when it came to bowl, England made early inroads. Bess was the tormentor in chief with four wickets, which included extracting Kohli for just 11.

Rishabh Pant launched a sterling counterattack, battering Leach to all parts, smashing 91 from just 88 balls.

Washington Sundar (85) also provided a stubborn display and though neither were able to reach three figures they helped India to 337 all out, to trail by 241.

^{Root hit a second double century of 2021 in Chennai}

Root's 40 and contributions from Ollie Pope (28) and Dom Bess (25) extended the away side's lead and set India a world record 420 to win in 103 overs.

Leach's superb delivery to get Rohit Sharma on the fourth evening left England needing nine wickets and India, fresh from their remarkable day five chase in Brisbane, a further 381 from victory.

The die was cast inside the first hour of day five as Anderson ripped through India with an over for the ages, sending the off-stumps of Shubman Gill (50) and Ajinkya Rahane (0) cartwheeling.

Victory was completed after tea first as Stokes uprooted the resilient Kohli (72) and then Leach continued his impressive second innings record with four wickets to give Root a record-equalling 26th win as skipper, and surely his most valuable.

Images courtesy of BCCI

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