Jonny Bairstow
Jonny Bairstow (Credits: X)

Axar Patel, on Thursday (January 25), clean bowled Jonny Bairstow with a beauty to give India a crucial breakthrough in the ongoing first IND vs ENG Test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.

Batting first, England were off to a brilliant start. Their openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett batted positively and aggressively to help their side race away to 50 in less than 11 overs before India struck back by taking 3 wickets for 5 runs.

Ravichandran Ashwin gave India the much-needed first breakthrough by dismissing Duckett for 35 to end the 55-run stand between the England openers. Three runs later, Ravindra Jadeja sent back Ollie Pope for 1 before Ashwin struck again to dismiss Crawley for 20 and leave England reeling at 60 for 3 from 55 for 0.

Axar Patel castles Jonny Bairstow:

After the mini collapse, England quickly recovered thanks to Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root. Both the batsmen were cautious but also kept the scoreboard ticking at a good rate as England ended the first session without losing any more wicket.

After the break, they started positively as well and were looking well set before Axar Patel dismissed Jonny Bairstow. The way the England batsman was batting, it required something special from Team India to dismiss him, and Axar Patel rose to the occasion. On the 4th ball of the 33rd over, the left-arm spinner ended Jonny Bairstow’s knock with a beauty.

The right-handed batsman went for a forward block anticipated an angled delivery. However, the ball spun away at the last moment to beat the outside edge before hitting the top of the off stump. Jonny Bairstow departed after scoring 37 runs with the help of 5 fours and adding 61 runs with Joe Root for the fourth wicket.

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Four runs after Bairstow’s dismissal, Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Root for 29 to put India on top once again. At the time of writing this report, England were on 128 for 5 after 37 overs. Captain Ben Stokes and Ben Foakes were fighting it out for the visitors in the middle.