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Ben Duckett admitted that England were taken aback by India openers Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s attacking approach in the first Test at the Rajeev Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. After bowling England out for 246 thanks to spinners Ravichandran Ashiwn (3/68), Ravindra Jadeja (3/88), and Axar Patel (2/33), India ended Day 1 at 119/1 with Jaiswal (76* off 70) and Gill (14*) at the crease. That India covered nearly half of England’s first innings total in just 23 overs was possible because of the start they got from captain Rohit and Jaiswal.
Jaiswal, playing his first Test at home, made his intentions crystal clear by hitting England debutant Tom Hartley for two sixes in the second of the Indian innings. India raced to fifty in the seventh over. Rohit too joined Jaiswal in the boundary-hitting spree. The left-hander reached his half-century off just 47 balls. They put on 80 in just 12.2 overs before Rohit was dismissed by Jack Leach for 24.
“Credit to them. They played really well and were very attacking. You know, they don’t always go about it like that. So, to go about it that way it shows that they probably think the pitch is going to get quite a bit worse,” said Duckett after the day’s play.
The 29-year-old Kent batter defended the use of sweeps and reverse sweeps by his colleagues, saying it was not a sign of carelessness.”We weren’t reckless today. I thought we played well at times and people who normally strike at 150 were dug in and rotated pretty well.”
Duckett said England were just trying to stay positive on the day.”We’re trying to be positive and when you get a bit of pace on the ball, we’re going to go even harder. But yeah, they bowled some very nice balls and I reckon I probably could have nicked off about 15 times.
“I missed them and then put the bat ball away, so yeah, really happy with how we started it,” he added.
Tom Hartley had a tough initiation to international cricket as Jaiswal went after him. The left-arm spinner finished the day with the figures of 9-0-63-0.
However, Duckett had a word of consolation for him. “We backed Tommy to turn to Stokes who decides for him how many overs to bowl. On some days captains might take you off after two overs and then you’re hiding away for the rest of the game. But he nearly got Shubman Gill in the end and I am not quite sure how that’s gonna miss the stumps. But I thought he came back really well,” added Duckett.
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