3 talking points from Day 1 of the 3rd IND vs ENG Test ft. Sarfaraz Khan's special debut
Day 1 of the third Test between India and England at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot was a see-saw affair, with the former reaching 326/5 by Stumps to perhaps narrowly edge ahead.
England's bowlers made an excellent start to the Test as Mark Wood's two-wicket burst saw the hosts' in-form men from the last game back in the hut early. Rajat Patidar fell soon after, but Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja gave India the upper hand with a stellar partnership.
The Test, like the series, hangs in the balance. Another gripping day of Test cricket unfolded in Rajkot, featuring plenty of moments that kindled appreciation, disappointment, and debate in equal measure.
On that note, here are three talking points from Day 1 of the third Test between India and England.
#3 Shubman Gill looked completely at sea
Fresh off a match-winning hundred in the second innings of the second Test, Shubman Gill was expected to continue in the same vein and set his middling record in the format straight.
However, Gill bagged a nine-ball duck on Day 1, and more concerningly, he looked all at sea during his time in the middle. The No. 3 batter's foot movement was practically non-existent, and anything that nipped back in seemed to have him in all sorts of trouble.
Tellingly, it held its line and jagged away slightly from Wood to send Gill packing, with Ben Foakes taking a good catch behind the stumps. It was an innings that has come to characterize the youngster's exploits at No. 3 as he has consistently struggled against swing and seam.
#2 Sarfaraz Khan made a real impression on debut before being run out
Handed his maiden Test cap in front of his father, Sarfaraz Khan's emotions would've been running high in Rajkot after the journey he had taken to get here. Once he got to the middle, though, he was ice-cool and made a real impression.
Sarfaraz wasn't bogged down by the occasion and looked to be positive right from the outset. As Ben Stokes dared him to go over the top by bringing his fielders inside the circle, the youngster, batting at No. 6, gleefully obliged. Even when he was beaten, he immediately managed to reverse the pressure.
Sarfaraz was eventually sold down the river by Ravindra Jadeja, but not before he had notched up his maiden Test half-century, much to the delight of his family watching on from the stands. It's safe to say that he's going to be around for a while.
#1 Ravindra Jadeja and Rohit Sharma revived the Indian innings
India, at one stage, were at 33/3 in conditions that were more than decent for batting. They needed something special to get back into the contest, and they got just that in the form of a mammoth partnership between Ravindra Jadeja and Rohit Sharma.
Rohit got an early lifeline as Joe Root dropped a chance at slip, but the duo were mostly free of mistakes. The Indian skipper raced along with some delightful strokes around the park, and Jadeja accompanied him by being solid in defense and deadly on anything loose.
By the time Rohit was dismissed, he and Jadeja had added 204 runs for the fourth wicket to bring India back into the contest. It was a partnership of the highest quality from the experienced duo.