In recent times, the inflexibility of the demands the England cricket team has placed on itself has more or less stopped it from adapting to an alternative reality.
It did seem like that until lunch on day one of the fourth Test against India at the JSCA Stadium here, as the visitors, after choosing to bat, raked up 112 runs in 24.1 overs in true Bazball style but lost five wickets.
But Joe Root and Ben Foakes finally deviated from England’s thrill-a-minute plan A to avoid a crash-and-burn scenario to lead the rescue act with a 113-run partnership.
At close, England reached 302 for seven, with Root on 106 (226b, 9x4) and Ollie Robinson on 31 (60b, 4x4, 1x6). It was Root’s highest since the century in the first Ashes Test last June in Birmingham, 14 innings ago.
If the post-lunch and post-tea sessions belonged to England, the morning was India’s, especially debutant pacer Akash Deep’s, who rocked the away side’s top-order with a splendid three-wicket burst.
Pre-match, much of the talk was around how the 22-yard strip would behave and the opening morning didn’t do much for it to die down. As early as the first over, Zak Crawley had to fend off a snorter from Mohammed Siraj that rose up to his chin.
When Crawley was on four Akash nipped one back sharply to send his off-stump cartwheeling, only for it to be a no-ball.
After Akash’s debut wicket was delayed, Crawley asserted himself (42, 42b, 6x4, 1x6), smashing Siraj for three boundaries and a six in the seventh over.
But a subdued Ben Duckett turned out to be Akash’s maiden Test victim, out caught behind off a delivery that left him. Akash’s joy doubled two balls later when he trapped Ollie Pope in front. The 27-year-old would soon have Crawley, disturbing the off-stump with a delivery that came in sharply.
Jonny Bairstow entertained for a while (38, 35b, 4x4, 1x6), with the cross-batted six off R. Ashwin catching the eye. But the off-spinner had his revenge when he drew a sweep and had him leg-before. A shooter from Ravindra Jadeja caught Ben Stokes plumb as England went in to lunch at 112 for five.
But on return, Root and Foakes (47, 126b, 4x4, 1x6) dropped anchor as the cherry lost its hardness and the winter sun beat down. Root too seemed mindful of not going for the extravagant.
The 33-year-old’s half-century took 108 balls and had just four boundaries. The reverse sweep, the much-maligned of Root’s shots in the lead-up to this Test, didn’t appear until he was in the 70s. The determination served him well and he reached the three-figure mark with a beautiful driven four off Akash.
Foakes played the perfect second fiddle. At times, Ashwin bowled with four catching men on the leg-side but the wicket-keeper batter still penetrated the field and hit him for two fours and a six.
After tea, Siraj struck twice, having Foakes caught at short mid-wicket and then squaring Tom Hartley up to rearrange his stumps. But Root and Robinson put on 57 unbeaten runs to keep the English flame flickering.
