IND vs ENG - Mohammed Siraj breaks the partnership as Ben Foakes departs for 47

Mohammed Siraj delivered as expected and broke the partnership between Joe Root and Ben Foakes in Ranchi.

Mohammed Siraj

After taking quick five wickets before lunch on Day 1 of the 4th Test, Team India found themselves in need of breakthroughs as England put together a solid partnership, courtesy of Joe Root and Ben Foakes. It marked India's first wicketless session in this series, something that was surely not acceptable by the Men in Blue.

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Enter the game's lead pacer in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah - Mohammed Siraj - who delivered as expected. He broke the partnership by dismissing Foakes for 47 runs at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi.

Siraj delivered a full and angling ball to the right-hander, and Foakes, who had started to play a few shots, attempted a flick. However, he couldn't rotate his wrists properly, resulting in a catch to Ravindra Jadeja. Jadeja, known for his safe hands, rarely drops catches, making this dismissal crucial for India as Foakes departed for 47(126) [4s-4 6s-1].

India had a fantastic first half on Day 1 of the 4th Test, dismissing five wickets, with debutant Akash Deep taking three wickets and spinners Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin each claiming one. Siraj now added his name to the wicket-takers, having got one to his name.

As of writing this article, in 71 overs, the Three Lions have scored 230 runs, having lost six wickets. Root is now partnered with Tom Hartley, a spinner known for his ability to strike good shots.

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England lost Zak Crawley (42), Ben Duckett (11), Ollie Pope (0), Jonny Bairstow (38) and skipper Ben Stokes (3) in quick successions. The visitors will be aiming to reach the 300-run mark and not lose any more wickets till the end of Day 1.

India vs England Teams:

India (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj

England (Playing XI): Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes(c), Ben Foakes(w), Tom Hartley, Ollie Robinson, Shoaib Bashir, James Anderson

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