Openers Zak Crawley and Duckett share their fifth 50+ opening partnership of the series before Kuldeep Yadav strikes in the second hour. The day began with family-led presentations to Ravichandran Ashwin and Jonny Bairstow to mark their 100th Tests
Dharamsala (day one of five): England 100-2, India
Zak Crawley struck his 14th Test fifty as England edged the first morning of the fifth Test against India in Dharamsala.
Crawley went to the landmark in 64 balls - he and Ben Duckett has already put on 66 for the opening wicket - as the hosts failed to take advantage of early lateral movement.
Kuldeep Yadav did strike to remove Ben Duckett (27) and it looked like being a frustrating opening session of near-misses and failed DRS reviews for Rohit Sharma's side until Ollie Pope (11) was deceived by the left-arm spinner and stumped by Dhruv Jurel.
Test cap No.100 for Jonny Bairstow 🫡#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/eIXVtukQOH
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There was a ceremonial feel to the start of the fifth and final Test of the series, but just because India's victory in Ranchi had secured them an unassailable 3-1 lead to a game to spare.
For just the second time, players from opposing sides were playing their 100th Tests simultaneously. Both Ravichandran Ashwin and Jonny Bairstow, the 77th and 78th men to bring up the landmark, were accompanied by their families during emotional pre-match presentations.
And regardless of the outcome, the Test will also be a memorable one for Devdutt Padikkal, who became the fifth Indian handed his debut during this series after an ankle injury ruled out the out-of-form Rajat Patidar.
It was a family affair before the start of play (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Celebration time for Kuldeep Yadav and India (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Conditions more fitting of the opening rounds of the County Championship rather than a Test in India welcomed both sides at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, though England had no hesitation after winning the toss and opted to have first use on an otherwise good-looking track.
The returning Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj enjoyed some early movement in the air and England's opening pair were fortunate to escape the opening hour without suffering any damage. Both Crawley and Duckett were beaten on the outside, the former somehow surviving after being squared up by Bumrah, only for the ball to bounce agonisingly over the stumps.
BREAKTHROUGH FOR INDIA!
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A brilliant catch from Shubham Gill sees Ben Duckett gone for 27.
Watch #INDvENG LIVE on TNT Sports and @discoveryplusuk 📺 pic.twitter.com/WMRJLt4cbp
The Kent batter survived a DRS review after being struck on the pad by Siraj but the technology sided with umpire Joel Wilson, who had been unmoved.
While England were hardly inhibited amid the early threat, they were selective with their bouts of attack. Duckett took advantage of some early looseness in Ashwin's first over, paddle sweeping for a boundary which brought up the 50 partnership - the fifth between the pair in the series.
But early progress was undone in the 18th over, Kuldeep's first, when the left-hander launched his hands at a ball above his eye-line and was caught by Shubman Gill running back.
However, the dismissal did not precipitate a collapse and Crawley, who survived a DRS review of his own as Kuldeep's delivery was adjudged to be spinning past leg stump, brought up his fourth half-century of the series.
Lunch loomed when England lost their second as Pope, who had looked uncomfortable against spin, marched down the track and was stumped by Jurel, handing Kuldeep his second wicket.
The Cricketer's chief correspondent George Dobell will be providing full analysis and reaction from day one of the fifth Test.
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