If the 179-run partnership between Joe Root and Moeen Ali wasn’t bad enough for the Indian team, there were more worrying signs for Virat Kohli and co. when premier fast bowler Mohammed Shami went off the field in the post-lunch session. He returned after tea only to be seen struggling during his spell after India took the second new ball.
Shami’s injury woes in the recent past are well known and it was definitely not something Kohli’s team wanted to see. It threw into doubt the Bengal quick’s participation in the match, or even the series but that was dismissed by India’s bowling coach Sanjay Bangar.
Speaking after the end of play on day one, Bangar stated that Shami was struggling due to muscular cramps and not due to a hamstring injury. He added that the fast bowler will continue bowling in the match.
“The physiotherapist told us it was muscular cramps. He took an ice bath. He was fine to bowl after that. But he’s being monitored closely. Apart from cramps, I don’t think there’s much to it. Hopefully, he will be fresher and fitter tomorrow and ready to bowl in the first session,” he said.
First time in the last 21 inns a visiting side has crossed 300+ in India
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) November 9, 2016
Last to do so Australia 408 at Mohali March 2013#IndvEng
England ended the day in a strong position, with 311 runs on the board for the loss of four wickets, mainly thanks to a century from Root and Mooen’s unbeaten 99.
India did take three wickets in the morning session after being put in the field, but they could have been in an even better position if not for three dropped catches.
“In the first session of day one of a Test match ,there’s always something in the wicket. Whether you bat or bowl first, you need to make the first session count. There were unfortunately a couple of dropped catches which did not allow us to make those early dents into their bating line-up. That set us back,” said Bangar.
“We could have definitely started well in that first session. Had we taken those catches we would probably have been asking questions to their middle-order.”
India went back to the strategy of playing five bowlers for the Rajkot Test, something they had not used during the New Zealand series recently. With Rohit Sharma injured, the Indian think tank decided to play leg-spinner Amit Mishra ahead of an extra batsman.
“Generally when you are playing five bowlers on a particular day like here and with obviously Ashwin being our number one spinner he ended up bowling more than 25 overs,” Bangar added. “And with freshness with the new ball seamers also had a role to play, it eventually means one of the spinners might get fewer overs and that was the case with Amit Mishra today.”
