NICK HOWSON rounds up the main talking points from a dramatic opening day of the third Test in Ahmedabad as India took control...
India v England: 3rd Test scorecard
If England weren't already convinced that things were conspiring against them on day one, then the manner of the reversal of the decision which saw India's Shubman Gill handed a reprieve might have done it.
Stuart Broad thought he had an early breakthrough in the India reply when the opener edged to Ben Stokes in the slips.
The umpires asked for the TV replay to be consulted but gave a soft signal of out. England were also utterly convinced.
One shot of the footage later and the decision was made. Gill had survived, with the images appearing to show the ball hitting the turf.
Most curiously, however, just one replay from a single camera angle was consulted before a final decision was given. As per the regulations, any overturn of the on-field decision needs to be based on clear evidence from the technology.
Stokes couldn't restrain himself, laughing and sarcastically clapping towards the officials. England, led by Broad, surrounded the umpires like Manchester United during the Sir Alex Ferguson years. It was wholly unedifying and should result in substantial punishment.
Questions over the way TV replays are used during the Decision Review System was debated at length during the second Test. And that conversation is likely to resume here, albeit in a different way.
Why was only one angle used? Why did TV umpire Chettithody Shamshuddin only consult it once? And was there conclusive evidence the decision should be overturned?
It may well be that the ball was not caught cleanly and that Stokes (as honest as they come on the field) felt he'd taken it at the first time of asking. But there wasn't much evidence of that during the review.
Regrettably, the same thing occurred just before the close as Rohit Sharma survived being stumped.
There has been some discussion about bespoke TV umpires consulting replays, but the sport could do with slickening up and improving the process before deciding whether on-field umpires should be moved on.
Zak Crawley's fifty was a rare positive for England
Zak Crawley looked like he had never been away as he went to a breezy half-century during the opening session of the match.
As his teammates toiled against spin at one end, the Kent batsman played a free-flowing knock, hitting the ball down the ground with aplomb.
Forty-two of his first 50 runs came through the V between cover and mid-wicket. It even provoked Sunil Gavaskar, who is mostly guarded on the world feed coverage, into some enlightening analysis.
In a series that has been dominated by sweeps and pulls, it was refreshing to see some genuine cricket shots.
Given his height and clean stroke-play, you can't help but draw comparisons with David Gower, when Crawley is in full flow.
This was just his 17th Test innings, yet he has already batted in four different positions. This is his fifth in a row at No.1 but there is no doubt he is considered the long-term No.3.
His recall was probably the only locked-in change from the second Test, particularly given Rory Burns' struggles since his return to the fold.
And on a day otherwise remembered for how England struggled, Crawley was a refreshing reminder that intent in conditions such as these count for plenty.
From the moment the coin landed India took the upper hand
England fans might disagree, as well as India followers hoping their team would fully cement their position of authority but it was a dramatic and pulsating day of cricket in Ahmedabad.
A dozen wickets fell, runs only came through good batting and the crowd were involved every step of the way.
This is just the 16th day-night pink-ball Test in six years. I've written previously about why the format doesn't have a more prominent role in the calendar, and hopefully, today's excitement might convince a few administrators it is the way to go.
For example, it meant that an England side bowled out for 112 were given the chance to bowl their seamers under lights. It gave them a glimmer of hope.
And similarly, an India side who had the first two sessions all their own way had to battle to see out the day.
Tests are not always undulating affairs. Once teams are on top they can be hard to dislodge. This brings a fresh dynamic to the contest, keeps both captains on their toes and means rarely are you in a position of complete authority.
I'd like to see a day when at least one day-night Test is included in each series during the next Future Tours Programme cycle when it is practical to deploy them.
If they prove to be inconsequential they can be duly removed or scaled back. But let's give them a more prominent role before dismissing them entirely.
An incident that is too often laughed off took place just prior to the final hour of play as a fan encroached on the outfield and made a dart towards India captain Virat Kohli.
As England fielders scattered, the quick-thinking skipper waved away the supporter before he was led away by security.
It would have been a humorous incident had it not been so serious. While there are 40,000 fans in attendance for each of the five days (if we need them all) yet the players remain in a bio-secure bubble.
India is still recording cases of Covid-19 in the tens of thousands every day. And yet for one of the biggest public events around security was lax and allowed a supporter through the rope.
Alongside the electrical issues on one side of the ground, which saw the lights and big screen fail on two occasions, it underlined a shambolic opening day for the world's biggest cricket stadium. And certainly not the best.
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