Ravi Ashwin stars in England v India first Test day-one player ratings

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  • Ravi Ashwin was monitoring the stumps as Joe Root was run-out.

    The first day of the first Test in the five-match series between England and India lived up to its billing.

    The Men In Blue enjoyed a good day at Edgbaston and just about edged proceedings, while England were victims of their own downfall after collapsing from 216-4 to their end score on 283-9.

    India’s depleted bowling attack bowled with heart and quality as Ravi Ashwin secured a four-wicket haul.

    Here, we look at player ratings from the opening day.

    England batting card:

    Alastair Cook – 5: A beauty of a piece of bowling from Ashwin gets the opener, credit to the spinner. It gripped, and spun, meaning Cook couldn’t do a great deal.

    Keaton Jennings – 6: Played pretty well for his 42 and looks confident in the opening position, but at the same time, it doesn’t feel like he has a big score around the corner. So unlucky for the ball to clip the stumps after defending Shami’s pace delivery.

    Joe Root – 6: Looked well set to finally get a long-awaited Test hundred after passing the 6,000 run mark but mix-up with Bairstow proved costly. Did he need to go for the second run? Root will be wishing he pushed his partner away. That said, he looks in fine touch and his consistency should be admired.

    Joe Root struck another Test half-century.

    Joe Root struck another Test half-century.

    Dawid Malan – 3: Trapped deep on the crease by Shami and is out of nick. It is set to be the start of a long summer for the Middlesex man, and if runs don’t come quickly, his place in the side will come under scrutiny.

    Jonny Bairstow – 7: Any drag-on is unlucky, and although he was guilty of chasing a back-of-the-length delivery, Bairstow kept with his attacking instincts that had served him well for a quick-fire 70. However, Root’s run-out, just three and a bit overs before his demise, seemed to affect his batting given the way they went about it.

    Bairstow blazed his way to a 72-ball half-century.

    Bairstow blazed his way to a 72-ball half-century.

    Ben Stokes – 3: Struggling for form and timing with the bat and offered up the simplest of caught and bowled chances back to Ashwin. He won’t want to see the replays of that one.

    Jos Buttler – 3: Guilty of playing across a straight ball from Ashwin and was struck on the knee roll. A batsman of his pedigree should have really done better and helped England regroup after the collapse.

    Sam Curran – 6: The 20-year-old is a livewire at the crease and shows plenty of enthusiasm. Dug around well for his 24* from 67 balls and has the freedom to have a go on day two.

    Adil Rashid – 5: Scratched around a bit and front foot was stationary as an excellent Sharma in-swinger was adjudged to have been knocking over his leg-stump on review. Gone for 13, lbw, on his second-coming in Tests.

    Stuart Broad – 5: Didn’t really get his feet moving and was done by a lovely full, swinging and seaming spin delivery by Ashwin. Out lbw for one.

    James Anderson: Can’t be rated after facing just nine balls as a tail-ender at the end of the innings. Will want to give Curran the strike early on Thursday and quickly get back in the pavilion and ready to have a bowl.

    India’s bowlers:

    Umesh Yadav – 6: Bowled with decent discipline and control, picking up the key scalp of Bairstow. Early indications that his overall mileage to come back for second and third spells could prove lethal throughout the series.

    Ishant Sharma – 6: England found the tall Indian pacer hard to get a way but he probably didn’t get the pace and bounce out of a pitch that is bound to quicken up. Claimed the solitary scalp of Rashid.

    Ravi Ashwin – 8: A superb four-wicket haul for the spinner and caused England’s all sorts of problems, with his guile and ability to spin the ball. Will no doubt be a trump card for the tourists throughout the series.

    Ashwin was the pick of India's bowlers from the first day.

    Ashwin was the pick of India’s bowlers from the first day.

    Mohammed Shami – 7: Bowled with real pace to make England’s top-order jump around a bit, and sticking with tight lines paid dividends as he sent Malan packing. He did though get a bit of luck with Jennings’ dismissal.

    Hardik Pandya – 5: India’s fifth-choice was expensive and struggled on day one. He will need to up the ante and be more of a go-to man later in this Test and for the remaining matches if he’s going to make an impact.

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