On the opening day of the fifth Test between India and England, skipper Rohit Sharma found himself in an awkward situation when he opted not to take a review despite a confident appeal from young cricketer Sarfaraz Khan during the second session. The match at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala is the final showdown between the two teams.
Despite a loss in the first match in Hyderabad, the Indian team secured the series victory with a 3-1 margin. Opting to bat first after winning the toss, England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett managed to survive the challenging period against Indian pacers in the opening session, adding another half-century partnership to their tally.
Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav finally broke the partnership by inducing a mistimed shot from Ben Duckett. Shubman Gill, stationed at the right place, completed a well-judged catch as Duckett departed after scoring 27 runs off 58 balls.
WATCH – Kuldeep Yadav’s Deceptive Spin Sends Ollie Pope Packing With Sublime Stumping
In the first over of the second session, Kuldeep Yadav bowled a flighted delivery down the leg side. Zak Crawley attempted a glance, resulting in the ball deflecting towards Sarfaraz Khan at short leg. Despite Sarfaraz and Shubman Gill being confident and wanting a review, Rohit Sharma opted not to challenge the decision, citing the lack of confidence from the wicketkeeper.
— Kirkit Expert (@expert42983) March 7, 2024
Upon reviewing the incident on the big screen, it became evident that there was a slight spike on UltraEdge, indicating a possible dismissal of Crawley. Sarfaraz, who was visibly confident, smiled upon seeing the replay, with Rohit also sharing a smile, perhaps acknowledging the missed opportunity for a review.
— Kirkit Expert (@expert42983) March 7, 2024
India (Playing XI) – Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Devdutt Padikkal, Ravindra Jadeja, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah
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England (Playing XI) – Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Ben Stokes (c), Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes (wk), Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir, Mark Wood, James Anderson
