Live scoreIndia vs England 1st Test, Day 1: England Win The Toss, Opt To Bat Vs India
India will aim for a bright start to the gruelling and testing five-match Test series against hosts England when the first match begins at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham on Wednesday. India have not won a Test series in England since 2007, achieved under the captaincy of Rahul Dravid. And now under the captaincy of Virat Kohli, India are bracing up for a stern test in difficult English conditions. In this long tour of England, India won the Twenty20 International (T20I) series but they suffered a set-back in the three-match One-Day International (ODI) rubber. Following the loss in the ODIs, India will look to make a strong comeback — but in a different format which challenges every cricketer to the hilt. Play fantasy league and win cash daily.
However, India must take heart from the way they fought against South Africa away even though they lost the series 1-2. India were impressive in all of the three Tests but in the first two Tests, they let the hosts off the hook. In the third Test, India pulled off a brilliant win which should give the side confidence and belief that no matter what the conditions are, the team is capable enough to at least be competitive. The biggest positive from the South Africa tour was the fact that the bowlers managed to pick 10 South African wickets in each of the six innings. (LIVE SCORECARD)
Live updates from India vs England, 1st Test, Day 1, straight from the Edgbaston cricket ground, Birmingham
15:00 IST: Joe Root wins the toss and opts to bat first in the first Test of the series.
14:55 IST: Typical English summer with overcast conditions. There is some moisture beneath but no fresh grass on the pitch. No harm in playing 2 spinners as they will get purchase later on. Win the toss bat first says Sanjay Manjrekar at the pitch report.
14:30 IST: England team for the first Test was announced yesterday. Here are the playing XI for England. Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Joe Root (capt), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow (wk),Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (vice-capt), Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.
14:15 IST: Here’s a look at the pitch on day 1 of the first Test.
Considering it is a long five-match series, India need to be wary of the physical toll on the pacers and Kohli will have to utilise them smartly. The pacers will need to fire collectively and be ready at every opportunity because rotation will be a key factor.