Root hits superb ton as England dominate day one

Indian bowlers were made to toil as England began their campaign on a promising note, riding on star batsman Joe Root's 11th century to finish the opening day of the first cricket Test at a solid 311/4 here.
England's leading batsman in recent years, Root was his customary elegant self and made 124 off 180 balls, while Moeen Ali was one short of his fourth Test hundred when the stumps were drawn after 93 overs at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
Root's effort was the first Test century by a visiting batsman in India since Michael Clarke's 130 at Chennai in February 2013. This was also the first time in the last 21 innings a visiting side crossed a 300 plus score in India.

The 25-year-old Root's maiden ton on the Indian soil was laced with one six and 11 fours, while Ali struck nine boundaries. The duo shared 179 runs for the fourth wicket to bail England out from a tricky 102/3.
Ben Stokes (19) was the other unbeaten batsman at stumps.
To India's good fortune, the well-entrenched Root was dismissed midway into the last session through a return catch by Umesh Yadav who bent low to accept the firm drive but then, in his enthusiasm, flicked the ball back over his head.

Luckily for the home team, which looked bereft of ideas on how to dismiss the classy batsman, the third umpire ruled in India's favour after Root stood his ground, indicating the pacer had not completed the catch.

India, incidentally, had not taken the second new ball till stumps. Pacer Mohammed Shami going off the field with a hamstring injury was not good news for India. The seamer returned later, but clearly looked in pain.
Earlier, things had seemed bright for the hosts, who are seeking their third back-to-back Test series triumph and their first in four rubbers against the tourists, when they packed off England captain and their scourge Alastair Cook for 21 who was trapped leg before by Ravindra Jadeja.
Cook, dropped on zero off the third ball of the match by Ajinkya Rahane off Shami, later preferred not to review the leg before wicket decision given against him although replays suggested the ball might have missed the leg stump.

The other two wickets that fell early in the day were grabbed by off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin who sent off debutant opener Haseeb Hameed for 31, earning a leg before verdict that was reviewed by England without success and Ben Dockett for 13, caught at slip by Rahane in the last over before lunch.
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India grabbed three wickets in the first session after England commenced at the overnight 288 for five and then claimed the last two wickets within six overs after lunch.
Jos Buttler was the last man to be dismissed for 76, the second-highest scorer after the 112 made by debutant opener Keaton Jennings yesterday. He was bowled by Jadeja after he faced 137 balls and hit six fours and one six.

Jadeja had grabbed two out of three wickets in the first session -- sending back Chris Woakes and Adil Rashid -- after Ashwin had given the first break for the home side with the dismissal of overnight not out Ben Stokes for 31.
Ashwin, who had four scalps in his kitty yesterday, added another wicket by dismissing the tall number 10 batsman Jake Ball (31 off 60 balls) who added 54 runs with Buttler for the ninth wicket, a very useful stand.
Indian openers Rahul and Vijay started confidently against the pace attack of the visitors who tried to use the short ball to unsettle both without success. Vijay, who had got out on a few occasions in the series to the short ball aimed at his ribs, negotiated similar threats with more conviction.

Vijay, who scored 126 in the first innings of the series opener at Rajkot before going off the boil, started with a superb drive past Woakes while Rahul also played pleasing drives -- a back-foot punch square of the wicket off leggie Rashid -- catching the eye.
Rahul, however, went for an ambitious drive against Moeen Ali on a track offering copious turn and was bowled through the gate for 24 after facing 41 balls. England had brought on their double spin attack -- Moeen and Rashid -- after only seven overs after pace duo of Anderson and Woakes began the proceedings.

Vijay, who batted sedately in the beginning, started to attack Rashid after Rahul's dismissal and stepped out to loft the bowler to the straight field twice -- for a four followed by a six -- in one over.
Post tea, Vijay had one lucky moment when on 45 as he came out of the crease against Rashid, missed the ball which spun and bounced past wicketkeeper Bairstow. After that he completed his half century, the 15th of his 46-Test career, in 126 balls with the help of one six and five fours. He has hit six fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 169-ball knock.

Pujara, on the other hand, continued to torment the Englishmen with his superb form that has secured him two hundreds and a half century coming into this match. He has so far struck six fours in his 102-ball unbeaten innings.
Both Vijay and Pujara negotiated the spinning ball with aplomb, using their feet to meet the ball or by playing late.