Thakur, pacers star for India
Bumrah picks two early wickets while Yadav removes Root
Shardul Thakur marked his return to India duty with a record-breaking fifty that saw the tourists fight back on the first day of the fourth Test against England at the Oval yesterday.
Thakur made 57, including a fifty in just 31 balls — the fastest in terms of balls faced in a Test in England — as he revived India from 117-6 to a total of 191 all out after they had lost the toss in overcast, bowler friendly conditions.
Jasprit Bumrah then removed both the hosts’ openers in the same over before Umesh Yadav captured the prize wicket of England captain Joe Root for 21 after the star batsman, now top of the world rankings, had made hundreds in the first three Tests of a fivematch series all square at 1-1.
At stumps, England were 53-3, a deficit of 138 runs, with Dawid Malan 26 not out and nightwatchman Craig Overton on one.
Thakur’ innings surpassed England great Ian Botham’s 32-ball fifty against New Zealand, also at the Oval, in 1986 as the quickest in a Test in England.
India captain Virat Kohli, who made exactly 50, was the only other India batsman to pass 17.
England all-rounder Chris Woakes, playing his first Test in over a year because of injuries and Covid complications, took 4-55 in 15 overs.
Better figures
But the Warwickshire paceman, who replaced left-arm swing bowler Sam Curran, would have had even better figures had not two catches been dropped off his bowling.
England, having seen their openers share a welcome century during last week’s innings and 76-run win in the third Test at Headingley, then found themselves 6-2 in four overs.
Bumrah had Rory Burns playing on five on the Surrey left-hander’s home ground and four balls later he had Hameed, trying to get off the mark with a flamboyant square cut, caught behind for a duck.
It was not long, however, before Root hit two fours in three balls off Yadav — a legside clip followed by a stylish late cut.
Buy Yadav had his revenge when he bowled Root between bat and pad with a ball that seamed in off the pitch.