'From Toothless To Ruthless': Here's How British Press Covered England Thrashing India On Day 1 Of Headingley Test

The English press is known for its 'harsh' takes on sports. After the banter in 2nd Test, the press said that Kohli was 'flummoxed by Headingley'

Image: AFP

So many things were being written from the time the second Test ended about Virat Kohli's agression. The tables turned on Day 1 of the third Test and now the English press has its own ways of getting back at the Indian team.  

As Mohammed Siraj bowled another ball outside the off-stump area, it was a Haseeb Hameed missing out on an edge. It ended Day 1 and with it, ended India's agonies. It was a brutal day of cricket for India. On the same pitch where Indian batsmen got all out for 78, England has scored 120 runs on Day 1 without losing a wicket. Indian bowlers were all over the place. The way James Anderson bowled with the new ball, was some sort of a learning curve for Indian bowers on how to bowl in English conditions.

Virat Kohli 'Slips Into Old Habits' 

The English press, which is considered to be brutal on athletes and sportspersons, was pumped with adrenaline as India faltered on Day 1. India's batting lineup went down like a pack of cards. 'The Mirror', one of the leading newspapers in England took a dig at Virat Kohli and wrote that he is 'slipping into old habits' as Nasser Hussain called it. One editorial went on to talk about Kohli's 'inability' to play balls outside off stump.

England's other big newspaper, The Guardian even took an interview of James Anderson where he said that England absolutely "nailed it" against India.

"Losing the toss, being asked to bowl and then putting in a performance like that. The way the two guys played towards the end of the day with the bat was outstanding and exactly what we’ve been asking for," said Jimmy Anderson.

“The way all the bowlers adjusted to the wicket with the lengths we bowled, the lines we bowled, was brilliant,” he said. “We’ve talked about trying to bowl as a unit, as a group, and we just absolutely nailed it today," Anderson told Guardian.

'From Toothless To Ruthless'

England performance in the second Test match was ordinary. Thus, Guardian had no qualms in giving their headline for their Live Coverage of the match. After a lot of talk between the two Test matches, England has taken the upper hand at least after Day 1.

The Times even said that Kohli was 'flummoxed by Headingley'.

Will Virat Kohli and his men be able to set things straight on Day 2? Only time will tell.