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Captain Shubman Gill and young Sai Sudharsan forged India's comeback after England made early inroads in the opening session of the first day in the fifth Test at The Oval on Thursday.
After a sudden downpour forced an early end to the first session, India piled up 72/2 in 23 overs, with Gill and Sudharsan unbeaten with scores of 15(23) and 25(67). The rain had already marked its presence twice before the beginning of the game. Under the overcast conditions and the ground slightly drenched, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul tried to see off a tricky phase. In the absence of tearaway Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, returning to the Test fold, rattled India's top order with his blistering pace at his home venue. With an inward angling delivery and a hint of movement, Atkinson struck Jaiswal just below the knee-roll of his pads. There were two sounds, and the England players were confused. The opinion was split, with players voicing their opinions, but Pope decided to trust his instincts, which left Ben Duckett less than pleased. Even designated captain Ben Stokes appeared confused before switching his eyes to see the replay. During the check, the ball cleanly whistled past Jaiswal's bat and his fate was sealed as he walked back to the dressing room cheaply on 2(9). KL Rahul tried to push for India's comeback through the turbulent phase with Sudharsan. The duo watched the ball cautiously while trying to navigate India through the difficult phase. However, India was jolted once again after Chris Woakes lured Rahul to chop the ball back onto the stumps, sending all of his hard work down the slumps, forcing him to return on 14(40). He tried to cut the ball away but diverted it straight towards the timber. Gill arrived at the crease and restored a state of calmness with his composed strokeplay and calculated risk. He dispatched three boundaries to make up for the early loss of wickets. The sun blessed The Oval with its rays, but the gloomy clouds arrived again, and relentless rain poured in, forcing both teams to take an early lunch. Brief Scores: India 72/2 (Shubman Gill 15*, Sai Sudharsan 25*; Gus Atkinson 1-7) vs England. (ANI)
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