Whoever thought that Tests were dead should think again

● People who think Test cricket is dead should again watch England’s dramatic 31run win over India in the first Test “on repeat”, says England captain Joe Root.

Ben Stokes took four for 40, including Virat Kohli for 51, on a tense fourth morning as India were bowled out for 162 in pursuit of 194 at Edgbaston.

Root said it was a “fabulous advert for Test cricket”. Counterpart Kohli agreed, saying Test cricket was his favourite:

“We love playing it and I'm sure every player will agree with me,” said Kohli.

Attendances for Tests have fallen in recent years, although the format remains well supported in England. More than 75,000 spectators watched this week’s Edgbaston match — the team’s 1,000th Test.

Resuming on 110 for five last Saturday, India lost Dinesh Karthik to the final ball of the first over, bowled by James Anderson.

India’s last five wickets fell for 50 runs, with Kohli the first of two victims in Stokes’s brilliant first over.

“We knew it would be a stiff test and I asked the guys to come in and show a bit of passion and really give everything,” said Root.

He told BBC Test Match Special: “I tried to be calm today even if I didn’t appear to be. That sort of atmosphere doesn’t make it easy — that’s what it’s all about.

“It fills you with confidence when you win a close game like that. It shows it’s about inner belief and steeliness, not just about wickets and runs.

“I couldn’t be prouder of that performance. That’s all you can ask as a captain.”

The momentum of the game changed several times, with England collapsing from 216/3 to 287 in the first innings, and Kohli’s masterful 149 helping India recover from 100/5 to post 274.

From 87/7, England rallied in their second innings to make 180 thanks to Sam Curran’s 63 in just his second Test appearance.

“Both afternoon sessions on day two and three were seesaw battles,” said Kohli, who managed only 134 runs on India’s tour of England in 2014 but scored 200 at Edgbaston.

“That's why this was such a good Test match to be part of and I’m sure everyone watching at home and in the stadium enjoyed it as well.” — bbc.com