WTC final: What happened the last time Team India's openers put on a 50-run partnership in England?
After the first day of the World Test Championship (WTC) final was abandoned due to inclement weather in Southampton, the action finally began as per schedule on the second day. Cricket fans will be praying for the persistent rain to stay away from the exciting contest, which is off to a terrific start.
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson won the toss and unsurprisingly chose to bowl first. Virat Kohli admitted that he too would have opted to field first, considering the overcast prevailing conditions.
By the end of the first session, neither team would mind much as the game is evenly poised. After being asked to bat first in challenging conditions, the Team India openers began the innings watchfully and looked composed more often than not.
Whenever they got a loose ball, they managed to inflict maximum damage, which meant they scored at a healthy rate of more than three runs per over. Gill and Rohit were severe on anything short or too full and disdainfully dispatched them to the boundaries.
After a solid 62-run opening partnership, Jamieson gave the first breakthrough for New Zealand. He bowled a sumptuous outswinger that caught Rohit's outside edge. Southee pulled off a stunner at third slip to pull the curtains on Sharma's (34) short yet entertaining knock.
Soon after, Shubman Gill (28) followed his senior statesman as he edged the ball to Watling during Wagner's first over. Ideally, the team management would have wanted at least one of the openers to carry on and get a big knock.
Nonetheless, the openers have weathered the storm by negating the new ball effect and done part of their job. It is now up to India's big three - Kohli, Pujara, and Rahane to build a substantial first-innings score on this good platform created by openers.
August 18-22, 2018: When India made a rousing comeback and notched up a series leveling win against England at Nottingham
Trent Bridge in Nottingham was the venue for the third Test of India's tour of England in 2018. England skipper Joe Root won the toss and invited India to bat first in the bowler-friendly conditions. India had already lost the second Test in a humiliating fashion in just 170 overs.
Indian openers KL Rahul (23) and Shikhar Dhawan (35) gave India a decent start. They put in 60 runs for the first wicket and built a platform for the middle-order. Virat Kohli (97) and Rahane (81) cashed in on the start and took India to 329 in the first innings. Anderson, Broad, and Woakes scalped three wickets each for England.
The hosts were skittled out for 169 in their first innings. All-rounder Hardik Pandya (5/28) produced a fine spell of swing bowling to rattle the opponents and racked up his maiden fifer in Test cricket. Ishant Sharma (2/32) and Bumrah (2/37) played supporting roles.
India began their second innings with a 168-run lead. The openers once again gave them a solid start by stitching up yet another 50-run partnership. KL Rahul (36 off 33 balls) and Shikhar Dhawan (44 off 63 balls) scored briskly and added a 60-run opening partnership. Virat Kohli (103) and Hardik Pandya (52*) consolidated the team's position before India declared their innings at 352/7.
England began the fourth innings with a 521-run target in front of them but their batters failed under scoreboard pressure. Only Jos Buttler (106) tried to salvage their innings, but England were eventually bowled out for 317. Pacers Bumrah (5/85) and Ishant Sharma (2/70) bowled disciplined lines and reaped benefits. In the end, India managed to win the match convincingly by 203 runs.
This was the last instance before today of the Indian openers getting a 50-run partnership for the first wicket in a Test on English soil.