Ind Vs Eng 1st Test: India All Out For 337, England Decide Against Follow On Despite 241 Run Lead

England lose Burns on the very first ball after they walk in to bat on Day 4 of the 1st India vs England Test match. The English bowlers bundled out the Indian batsman for 337 after a fighting 85 not-out by Washington Sundar. Can India bounce back?

(File Photo/ Getty Images)

India vs England’s first Test match was looking like a one-way affair before Rishabh Pant smashed 91 runs and Sundar helped the score go past 300. But even then, he couldn’t prevent to take the lead below 200, the minimum requirement to avoid follow-on. But in a surprising turn of events, England refused to enforce the follow-on even after getting a 241 run lead.

England came on to bat with Ashwin opening the bowling for India. Ashwin picked up Burns on the very first ball of the innings. He was caught by Ajinkya Rahane at first slip when he attempted to play a defensive shot to a turning delivery by Ashwin.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ashwin strikes straight away!<br><br>Rory Burns departs for a duck.<br><br>Live - <a href="https://t.co/VJF6Q62aTS" rel='nofollow'>https://t.co/VJF6Q62aTS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel='nofollow'>#INDvENG</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Paytm?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel='nofollow'>@Paytm</a> <a href="https://t.co/vgrBCbFQEp" rel='nofollow'>pic.twitter.com/vgrBCbFQEp</a></p>&mdash; BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1358656606561394689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel='nofollow'>February 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

At lunch on Day 2, England’s score was 1/1. England have a lead of 241 runs and it is being assumed that England did not want to bat on the fifth Day of the Chepauk Test when the bowl would have enough turn and bounce to trouble the batsmen.

England would look at consolidating the lead and put India in to bat late on Day 4 if they plan to win the match. Kohli opted for two spinners to open the bowling for India in the third innings as the ball is getting enough turn and bounce after pitching. Kohli’s men would be looking at creating pressure on the English batsmen by picking up quick wickets.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">England have decided not to enforce the follow-on.<br><br>They lead by a whopping 241 runs.<br><br>How many more will they add?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel='nofollow'>#INDvENG</a> ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/gnj5x4GOos" rel='nofollow'>https://t.co/gnj5x4GOos</a> <a href="https://t.co/bktUwIdi1s" rel='nofollow'>pic.twitter.com/bktUwIdi1s</a></p>&mdash; ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1358654812653449218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel='nofollow'>February 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Brief scores:

England 1st Innings - 578/10, Root-218, Sibley-87; Bumrah- 3/84

India 1st Innings - 337/10 (First Innings lead of 241 to England) Pant 91, Sundar 85*, Bess- 4/76

England 2nd Innings - 22/1, Sibley 11*; Ashwin - 1/10 (Till 12;35 pm IST)