Team India suffered its first home defeat in nearly four years when the side faced a 227-run loss to England in the first Test of the four-match series in Chennai. The last time India lost at home was in Feburary 2017, when Australia beat the side by 333 runs in Pune.
This loss was also Virat Kohli's fourth in succession as the captain of the side. Under Kohli's captaincy, India faced a 2-0 clean sweep-defeat in the away tour to New Zealand, and lost the first Test against Australia in Adelaide.
Virat Kohli had returned to the Indian team as captain after Ajinkya Rahane led the side to an incredible turnaround in Australia after the loss in Adelaide.
Having set India a 420-run target to win, England bowled a listless India out for 192 in 58.1 overs, with 29-year Leach taking four for 76 and speedster James Anderson bagging three for 17. All five bowlers took wickets, with fast bowler Jofra Archer, off-spinner Dominic Bess, and pacer Ben Stokes taking one scalp each.
For India, captain Virat Kohli was the top scorer with 72 off 104 balls while young Shubman Gill chipped in with an 83-ball 50.
After winning the toss, England had scored 578 in their first innings, thanks to captain Joe Root's superb 218, Dominic Sibley's 87, and Stokes's 82. In reply, India posted 337, and conceded a lead of 241. In their second innings, Indian bowlers performed much better as they bowled England out for 178, thanks to off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin who took six wickets for 61.
This was also India's first defeat against England at Chennai in 35 years, during which five Tests were played.
Overall, this was India's first loss in Chennai since 1999. The second Test will also be played here, from Saturday.
