Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj, known for his ability to take wickets quickly, showcased his fielding prowess with an excellent diving catch to dismiss England opener Zak Crawley for 20 runs off 40 balls on the first day’s first session of the 1st Test at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
Despite England’s initial aggressive start, fueled by openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, the team lost three wickets in the first 20 overs. Ashwin claimed Duckett for the fourth time in Test cricket, while Ollie Pope departed for just 1 as Rohit Sharma caught him in the slips off a delivery from Ravindra Jadeja in the 14th over.
WATCH – Rohit Sharma Takes A Low Catch That Shook England’s Fortunes In Hyderabad
Two balls later in the 15th over, Ashwin struck again. After dismissing Duckett, the veteran off-spinner removed Crawley, who had been looking in good form but played an indecisive shot that went straight into the hands of Mohammed Siraj. Despite having to dive forward to complete the catch, Siraj held on firmly.
Here is the video of the catch from Mohammed Siraj:
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Zak Crawley had displayed a variety of shots, from cover drives to leg glances and straight drives to reverse sweeps. However, his attempt to push a flighted full-length delivery from Ashwin towards the cover region resulted in an unintentional lofted shot and, ultimately, his dismissal.
Playing in his home ground in Hyderabad, Mohammed Siraj hadn’t bowled with great regularity in the first session, as India’s spinning trio of Ashwin, Jadeja, and Axar effectively controlled the middle. Despite the strong start by England’s top three batsmen against India’s pacers, they struggled to read the line and length of the spinners.
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Nevertheless, England performed well with their Bazball strategy on Indian soil, achieving a 55-run partnership between Duckett and Crawley before their dismissals. At the end of the first session, England stood at 108/3 after 28 overs, with Joe Root at 18 off 35 and Jonny Bairstow at 32 off 44, handling the threat posed by India’s spinners effectively. This session marked the first time since 2018 that India conceded 100 runs in the first session.
