After winning a crucial toss at Chepauk Stadium in Chennai, Virat Kohli chose to bat first on a dry and dark pitch that is expected to do well for the spinners since Day 1 itself. It was a good toss for India to win as the pitch will start deteriorating as the game goes on and will become difficult to play their shots in the later part of the Test match. India were off to a shaky start as Stone picked up Gill for a duck in the second over of the match. India’s score was 0-1 and yet again the hosts failed to start well. But after a good partnership of 85 runs between Pujara and Rohit, Pujara got out to a turning delivery by Jack Leach.


Troubles for the Indian team did not stop there. Virat Kohli came in to bat at number four but only to be clean-bowled by Moeen Ali to a classic off-spinner. He got out for a duck. Kohli was in disbelief as the ball hit the stumps. Ali dragged Kohli on to the front foot by a nice and juicy flighted delivery of good length. Kohli missed the length and also misjudged the spin on the ball and was cleaned-up. The spinners will take advantage of the pitch as there’s dust flying off on every spinning ball.



But the silver lining for India is Rohit Sharma’s innings. It feels as if the Mumbai batsman is playing on a different track. He scored 12 fours and one six in his innings. When India reached 100 team runs, 75 out of those 100 were scored by Sharma. So it has been a one-end run scoring for India in the first session of play. The score is at 106/3 when the players returned back to the dressing room for lunch.


Scores in brief:


India 1st Innings- 106/3


Gill (0), Pujara (21), Kohli (0), Rohit (80*), Rahane (5*)