A fourth five-wicket haul for the wrist-spinner sees England collapse from 100 for 1, while Ravichandran Ashwin got in on the act in his 100th Test. Zak Crawley struck 79 but no other teammate has yet passed 27
Dharamsala (day one of five): England 194-8, India
Kuldeep Yadav claimed a day one five-for as England capitulated in the fifth Test against India in Dharamsala.
Zak Crawley (79), Jonny Bairstow (29) and Ben Stokes (0) fell as the wrist-spinner ripped through the tourists.
Joe Root departed at the hands of Ravindra Jadeja before Ravichandran Ashwin tore into the tail in his 100th Test, as five wickets fell for the addition of eight runs before tea.
Test cap No.100 for Jonny Bairstow 🫡#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/eIXVtukQOH
— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) March 7, 2024
There was a ceremonial feel to the start of the fifth and final Test of the series, and not just because India's victory in Ranchi had secured them an unassailable 3-1 lead with a game to spare.
For just the second time, players from opposing sides were playing their 100th Tests simultaneously. Both Ashwin and 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)
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!
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) March 7, 2024
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 with a paddle sweep to bring up the 50 partnership - but early progress was undone in Kuldeep's first over when the left-hander launched his hands at a ball above his eye-line and was caught by Shubman Gill running back.
Crawley marched on confidently, surviving a DRS review of his own as Kuldeep's delivery was adjudged to be spinning past leg stump, to bring up his fourth half-century of the series.
Lunch loomed when England lost their second wicket as Pope, who had looked uncomfortable against spin, strode down the track and was stumped by Dhruv Jurel, handing Kuldeep his second wicket.
Zak Crawley made good progress but perished on 79 (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
The breakthrough appeared to change the momentum of the contest, with India now providing more of a threat with the ball and England finding regular scoring tricky.
Indeed, Kuldeep should have had his second wicket of the over when Crawley feathered an edge down the leg-side, Sarfaraz Khan leapt to complete the catch but was unable to convince Rohit Sharma to review the not-out decision.
Crawley was by now living a charmed life and was dropped on 79 as Ravindra Jadeja failed to hold onto a caught and bowled chance.
But he perished having faced just two further deliveries as Kuldeep ripped one through his attempted drive.
KULDEEP 5️⃣
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) March 7, 2024
The collapse continues, this time it's Ben Stokes with a failed review and he's gone for a duck 🫣
Watch #INDvENG LIVE on TNT Sports and @discoveryplusuk 📺 pic.twitter.com/JQQSZaifU2
Bairstow and Joe Root soaked up pressure - the former displayed rare ambition with a six slogged over deep mid-wicket - but both were removed as three wickets fell in the space of 14 deliveries.
Kuldeep put down Bairstow (29) on 21 but made amends in his next over to claim his fourth scalp and 50th in Tests before Root (26) was struck in front by Ravindra Jadeja.
A googly delivered Kuldeep his five-for, his fourth in Test cricket, as Ben Stokes was perplexed by the ball straightening.
Ashwin has been overshadowed in his landmark Test but he collected two wickets in his eighth over as Tom Hartley (6) and Mark Wood's (0) resistance proved futile.
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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