Author note: First of all sorry for the irregular updates. I wasn't feeling well these past few days but I ignored it and after I went to the doctor and doing some test he said I had typhoid so I took a break for a while. Thank you for your patience and keep supporting me.
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📍 1st Test vs England – Day 1
📍 Edgbaston, Birmingham
📅 July 2023
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## ☀️ **A Summer That Didn't Feel Gentle**
The first morning of India's English summer was anything but warm. Edgbaston's stands, dressed in a sea of navy and white, were buzzing well before the toss. A light breeze flicked at the flags. The sky was pale, almost washed clean overnight — and in Birmingham, that meant one thing: **swing.**
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### 🪙 **The Toss**
Kohli called correctly. Looked at the pitch, then the air. Anderson's grin in the background was noticeable.
> **Kohli:** "We'll bowl first. Early movement, let's make it count."
In the England camp, Ben Stokes just smirked.
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## 🌫️ **Morning Session – England Batting**
**Opening Pair:** Zak Crawley & Ben Duckett
**New Ball Pair:** Mohammed Shami & Jasprit Bumrah
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**0.1 – Shami to Crawley**
Full, on off, a hint of shape. Solid forward defence. No run.
**2.3 – Shami to Crawley**
Length, seams away. Thick outside edge — *four* past gully. England underway, but not convincing.
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### ⚡ **The First Punch**
**5.5 – Bumrah to Duckett**
Short of a length, jags back in. Big appeal — **OUT!** Umpire's finger up. Duckett reviews… three reds.
📉 *England: 14/1*
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> **Harsha Bhogle (Comm Box):**
> "The length — perfect. You don't need full on this wicket to ask questions."
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### Root's Arrival
Joe Root walked in, Edgbaston roaring his name. First ball, he opened the face, gliding Bumrah to third man for two. Statement.
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**10.4 – Shami to Crawley**
Full, shaping away. Crawley pushes at it — *edge!* Flies over gully. Nervous runs.
**15.2 – Ashwin to Crawley**
Flight, grip. Inside edge onto pad — half an appeal, but Ishaan at short leg just smiles.
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📌 **Drinks:** England 44/1 (16 overs)
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### Building Pressure
Shami kept a tight off-stump line. Bumrah switched ends. The crowd hummed, sensing a duel.
**20.1 – Bumrah to Crawley**
Back of a length, extra bounce — Crawley fends, caught by Kohli at second slip.
📉 *England: 61/2*
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## 🎯 **Middle Order Resistance**
Root and Bairstow began counterattacking. Bairstow especially, with those sharp cuts and on-drives.
**26.3 – Ashwin to Root**
Flighted outside off. Root leans, drives through cover — **FOUR.** Elegant.
**29.5 – Siraj to Bairstow**
Full toss. Punished. **FOUR** to midwicket. Siraj grimaces.
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📌 **Lunch:** England 111/2
*Root 46\**
*Bairstow 35\**
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## ☀️ **Afternoon Session – India Bite Back**
Kohli's team tightened the screws after lunch. The ball still moved in the air. Fielders crouched low, waiting.
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**35.2 – Shami to Root**
Length, nips back. Root trapped in front! Big appeal — umpire says OUT. Root shakes his head, reviews. Ball-tracking: clipping leg bail. Umpire's call.
📉 *England: 128/3*
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**38.1 – Ashwin to Stokes**
Flight, sharp turn, beats the edge. Stump mic:
> **Ishaan:** "Not every ball is to drive, skipper."
> Stokes grins.
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### Bairstow's Half-Century
**41.4 – Bumrah to Bairstow**
Short, pulled behind square — **FOUR**. That's fifty off 74 balls. Crowd up.
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**44.2 – Ashwin to Bairstow**
Floated, big turn. Bairstow drives inside-out — in the air — taken at extra cover! Jadeja dives forward.
📉 *England: 162/4*
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### Lower Order Collapse
Shami returned, old ball reversing slightly.
**53.5 – Shami to Foakes**
Full, hooping in. Bowled him through the gate!
**56.1 – Siraj to Robinson**
Bouncer, glove through to Pant.
📉 England: 218/8.
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📌 **Tea:** England 240/8
*Woakes 15\**
*Anderson 4\**
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## 🌘 **Evening Session – The Tail Wags**
Anderson played a streaky cameo. Woakes farmed the strike. India grew a touch frustrated.
**66.3 – Ashwin to Anderson**
Flight, Anderson sweeps — top edge over slip — *FOUR*. Kohli chuckles, claps sarcastically.
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**70.4 – Bumrah to Woakes**
Length ball, nips away. Edge — Pant takes it clean.
📉 *England all out: 287.*
*Root 80, Bairstow 70; Shami 4/62, Ashwin 3/58*
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> **Sunil Gavaskar (Comm Box):**
> "England will feel they're a few short, given the start. But on this wicket, 287 is more than just competitive."
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## 🏏 **India's Reply – Ishaan Under Fire**
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### **Opening Pair:** kl rahul & Ishaan Verma
**0.1 – Anderson to Rahul**
Good length, nips in. Rahul lets it go. No run.
**1.1 – Broad to Ishaan**
First ball to him. Full, shaping in. Defended with soft hands.
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**3.3 – Anderson to Ishaan**
Length, perfect seam. Beats the outside edge. Stump mic:
> **Anderson:** "Let's see how you handle the Duke."
> **Ishaan:** "Same way I handle everything — straight."
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**5.5 – Broad to Ishaan**
Overpitched. Ishaan drives past mid-off — **FOUR**. Crowd murmurs.
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### Rahul Falls Early
**7.2 – Anderson to Rahul**
Full, late swing. Edge — Root at slip takes it low.
📉 *India: 18/1*
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### Pujara Joins Ishaan
Together they began the slow process of leaving everything outside off. England probed relentlessly.
**13.1 – Woakes to Ishaan**
Back of a length, jagging away. Ishaan shoulders arms, watches it sail through.
**18.4 – Anderson to Ishaan**
Full, swinging late. Driven crisply to extra cover — **FOUR**.
> **Nasser Hussain:**
> "This lad's composure… he's not playing like someone on his first tour here."
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📌 **Stumps:** India 54/1 (20 overs)
*Ishaan 28\**
*Pujara 14\**
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### 🎙️ **Final Word – Day 1**
> **Aakash Chopra:**
> "We've seen skill from both sides today — England's middle order grit, India's discipline with the ball, and a young opener who isn't blinking under Anderson's glare. Tomorrow morning will set the tone for this Test."
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