The first Test between India and England in Hyderabad provided an eventful day of cricket, and the contrasting tweets from former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen became a source of amusement for former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer. The match witnessed a swift change of fortunes, with England opting to bat first and initially showing promise with an opening partnership of 55 runs between Ben Duckett and Zack Crawley.
Kevin Pietersen, expressing optimism, tweeted that England would declare at 450/9.Taking to his Twitter account, he stated: “England bat. 450/9 declared today?”
England bat. 450/9 declared today? #INDvENG
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) January 25, 2024
However, the introduction of spin turned the game around quickly for India, as they reduced England from 55/0 to 60/3. Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja exploited the spin-friendly conditions, leaving the English batsmen struggling to cope.
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Observing the collapse, Kevin Pietersen, within an hour of his optimistic tweet, expressed frustration, suggesting the game might conclude in two days. He tweeted: “Bloody hell!!!! Might be a two-day game!”
Bloody hell!!!! Might be a two day game! #INDvsENG
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) January 25, 2024
This shift in tone prompted Wasim Jaffer to humorously troll Pietersen on Twitter. Jaffer posted a meme and quipped that Dinesh Karthik would be the one to explain the situation to Kevin Pietersen. He tweeted: “Bloody hell!!!! Might be a two-day game!”
.@DineshKarthik will translate this one for you @KP24 😅 #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/3PSpy2rWlw
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) January 25, 2024
Meanwhile, on the field, England faced significant challenges, with Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root stabilizing the innings with a fifty-plus partnership after the top order collapse. However, the spin trio of Jadeja, Ashwin, and Axar struck again, leading to quick wickets and leaving England at 193/8. Captain Ben Stokes, at 30*, aimed to guide England to a competitive total, targeting over 250 runs on a challenging pitch.
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As Tea was called on Day 1, England stood at 215/8, with Ravindra Jadeja securing three wickets, and Ashwin, Axar Patel, and Jasprit Bumrah contributing with two, two, and one wicket, respectively. The Indian spinners wreaked havoc on the English lineup, setting the stage for an intriguing Test match.
