England out cheaply as ploy to bat first fails

AHMEDABAD: Spinner Axar Patel claimed a careerbest six for 38 as India bundled out England for 112 on the opening day to take charge of the daynight third test in Ahmedabad yesterday.

Rohit Sharma then helped the host team weather a toporder wobble of its own to finish an eventful 13wicket day on 99 for three.

Rohit was unbeaten on 57 at the close with Ajinkya Rahane on one and India was eyeing a handy firstinnings lead with the series level at 11.

Earlier, England captain Joe Root’s decision to bat backfired as his side folded in 48.4 overs inside two seasons despite Zak Crawley’s strokefilled 53.

On a track where the ball spun from the outset, the English batsmen repeatedly played for the turn and got beaten by the straight ball.

Its rejigged top order failed. Six batsmen made 13 runs between them.

Crawley was hopeful England could still fight back.

‘‘We have very strong seamers and back our seamers on any surface,’’ the opener said.

‘‘If we had got more runs we could have helped our bowlers out a little bit more.’’