Birmingham: India suffered a heartbreaking 31-run loss to England as skipper Virat Kohli’s (51, 93b, 4×4) heroics went in vain amid yet another abject batting capitulation in a riveting opening Test at Edgbaston here, Saturday.
Staring the day needing 84 runs to win the game, the Indians lost their last five wickets for the addition of 52 runs with Ben Stokes (4/40) running through the middle and lower-order. The moment Stokes got Kohli leg before in the 47th over of the innings, the writing was clear on the wall for India. Hardik Pandya (31, 61b, 4×4) tried to take the fight to England, but then perished as he tried to force the pace as India lost wickets at the other end .
Stokes came to the party on the morning of day four by removing Kohli and Mohammad Shami (0) in the same over and then also dismissed Pandya. James Anderson (2/50) got rid of Dinesh Karthik early on and India were always fighting a losing cause.
The sun was out at Edgbaston but the ball was doing enough to trouble the batsmen. Karthik (20) fell on the sixth ball of the day, caught at second slip off Anderson.
It brought Pandya to the crease, but Kohli was not yet ready to farm strike and trusted his partner. It meant that Pandya hogged majority of the deliveries early in their partnership, but the skipper didn’t mind. They put on 29 runs before disaster struck.
Kohli fell as he moved too far forward and across to counter an incoming delivery from Stokes. Kohli opted for the DRS, but the decision went in England’s favour.
Surprisingly, Shami came out to bat next and Stokes made it a double blow in four balls as the batsman was caught behind.
Ishant Sharma (11), who came in next, looked more comfortable than Shami. Two fours off his blade meant that England had to rethink their plans once again. They turned to Adil Rashid (1/9) and he had Sharma leg before with a googly for the second time in the game.
India must blame their slip fielders, more so Shikhar Dhawan, for the catch he missed off Sam Curran when the batsman was nine. Unless they improve their slip catching and stabilise the middle-order by bringing back Cheteshwar Pujara, they will have plenty or problems.
The second Test begins August 9, at Lords.