Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal dominated the third session with quick fifties as India took control of the fifth Test match against England on Day 1. Indian spinners stole the limelight with impressive spells in the first two sessions to bowl out England on 218 in their first innings.
Kuldeep Yadav emerged as the best bowler with five big wickets and then the veteran Ravichandran Ashwin bagged four wickets to prove the spinners' dominance on Day 1. Ravindra Jadeja also contributed with a valuable wicket of Joe Root, making it ten wickets for spinners in the first innings.
This is the first time in the last 48 years, that Indian spinners managed to bag all ten wickets on Day 1 in a Test innings. The previous instance came in 1976 when Indian spinners took all ten wickets on Day 1 of the Test against New Zealand in Auckland. Notably, Indian spinners last took ten wickets on Day 1 of the Test at home came against England in 1973 in Chennai.
Meanwhile, this is the first in 56 First-Class Test matches that spinners took all ten wickets in an innings at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala.
Kuldeep completed 50 Test wickets, becoming the quickest Indian with the least balls taken to reach the milestone. Kuldeep revealed getting drift on both sides which helped him with his control at HPCA Stadium on Thursday.
"I was using the drift well on both sides," Kuldeep Yadav said after the stumps on Day 1. "I am very happy that we were able to get them out for 218 as it is a good wicket. As a spinner, you focus on the length and try to hit a good length. At times, you change plans as per conditions. If you are getting drift, then you have to think about the lines as well. The more you play, the easier it becomes to control. Speed also matters. If you bowl at a certain speed and change your pace, it gets difficult for the batters."
