What a game of Test Cricket. The first Test match between India and England reminded many that playing Test Cricket is the ultimate test for any international player. The cricketing world witnessed one of the most sensational results in Test Cricket as England’s aggressive approach to Test Cricket helped them to pull off a famous win over India. It was India’s fourth defeat at home in 48 Tests and the biggest-ever turnaround by a visiting team on Indian soil.

England was on the back foot after conceding a 190-run lead in the first innings. However, the visitors flipped the script on its head with Ollie Pope’s blistering 196 in the second innings, reaching 420 and setting a target of 231 for the hosts. Then it was England’s debutant spinner Tom Hartley’s show as the left-arm orthodox bowler ripped through India’s batting line-up and finished with excellent figures of 7 for 62.

It was a double bonanza for England in the 12th over when Hartley struck twice to dismiss the in-form Yashasvi Jaiswal (15) and Shubman Gill for a duck. A few moments later, the left-arm spinner gave India a big blow by sending off India’s skipper Rohit Sharma (39) back to the dressing room. KL Rahul (22) and Axar Patel (17) saw India through to Tea but both departed soon after the resumption of play.

Shreyas Iyer and Ravindra Jadeja were dismissed cheaply. England thought that they would easily secure a win, but, the eighth-wicket pair of Ravichandran Ashwin and KS Bharat showed that there was more in this exceptional Test match, adding 57 runs. Hartley, however, stood tall in the dying moments of the final session to secure a memorable win for England.