A breathtaking loss for India by 31 runs as skipper Virat Kohli's heroics went in vain.
It was virtually Kohli versus England in the first test match played between India and England at Edgbaston cricket match. In the 47th over Indian Captain was trapped lbw off Ben Stokes, it was then the game shifted to England's way in a match where things were difficult to predict. England managed to defeat India by only 31 runs in an exciting test match that could have gone either way.
Resuming on the overnight score of 110 for five, India folded up for only 162 in the 55th over despite Kohli's combative 51 off 93 balls and a hard-fought knock of 31 runs from Hardik Pandya. Stokes turned out to be the star of the day (4-40), On the morning of Day 4, he managed to remove Kohli and Mohammad Shami in the same over. James Anderson and Stuart Broad also managed to pick up two wickets each.
On Contrary, Indian Bowlers had done a great job with the ball as they didn't allow England Batsmen to score much on a surface that somehow favored bowlers but it was their batsmen except Kohli who had let them down again. This is what Kohli had to say about the game.
Glad to be a part of such an exciting Test match. There were a couple of moments when we came back. A team like England doesn't let you do it every day, they were relentless and they made us work very hard for our runs.
England skipper Joe Root was thrilled with the result, It was a great result for his team as they will be looking forward to the 2nd test match starting on August 9 at Lord's. This win will give them confidence but they need to be focused because there is a lot of work to be done. This game clearly showed how it is more than just skills, runs and wickets when it comes to test cricket. It is more about the temperament and how you handle difficult situations by selecting proper cricketing shots and giving the best every time.
It was a great game for Ben Stokes who needs to lift his game as he definitely is one of the better all-rounders in the cricketing world nowadays. Stokes may miss his second test match due to the court hearing and it will be interesting to see who will replace him for the second test match.
First Test between India and England has been an exciting one for all the cricket fans, On day one, Joe Root scored 80 to help England reach a competitive score of 287 runs. Day 2 was written for Kohli and his masterful 22nd Century with that India was able to fight back and stay alive in the test. Later, England was bowled out for 180 as Ishant Sharma bowled a spell of his life and took 5 for 51. India was supposed to chase only 194 runs but it was not easy on Day 4 as England chipped in with quick wickets to win the first match of the series.
This sets the series nicely as we would like to see India come back with a better performance with the bat. They will need to apply themselves better with the bat and come up with better shot selection. India has a strong batting lineup and can win any game with the bat but only if they choose to do so. Let's see if Kohli's passion can make things harder for England or will it be Joe Root who will have the last laugh.
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