England close the opening day of the fourth Test at the Kia Oval on 53-3 after bowling India out for 191; Chris Woakes takes 4-55 on his return to the side, while Shardul Thakur’s record-breaking 57 leads India rally following poor start
Last Updated: 02/09/21 7:55pm
Chris Woakes took four wickets at The Oval on his return to the England Test side
Chris Woakes felt England could be happy with their day’s work on the opening day of the fourth Test against India at the Kia Oval despite slipping to 53-3 at the close.
That left the hosts trailing the tourists by 138 runs after they had bowled India out for 191 after Joe Root, who was dismissed for 21 late in the day, had won the toss.
Seamer Woakes was the mainstay of an impressive England attack on his return to the side after an absence of over a year with figures of 4-55, including the wicket of Rohit Sharma with his sixth delivery.
The best of the action from day one of the fourth Test between England and India from The Oval
“I think [it has been] a relatively good day still,” Woakes told Sky Sports Cricket. “When you win a toss and put a team into bat, to bowl them out for 191 is almost pretty much job done, but to lose three tonight, including Joe, kind of keeps it in the balance.
“It’s been a good pitch for everyone really. If you get in you can score runs, but if we bowl tight areas and keep the batsmen on their toes then you are always in the game as a bowler.”
Woakes celebrates taking the wicket of India’s Rohit Sharma
Woakes also feels England can build a first-innings lead on Friday, adding: “I don’t think it’s a wicket that you can’t bat past their score. I think it’s still a decent wicket if you get stuck in and you build a few partnerships. We can hopefully bat past them and whatever we get ahead will be really important for the second innings.”
The 32-year-old, who has been absent with a combination of injury, Covid quarantine and rotation, admitted he had a few nerves as he returned to the Test arena.
“I was a little bit nervous as you usually are playing for England,” he added. “Test cricket in front of a full house again, I haven’t done that for quite a while so it was nice to be back out there. I think my first over kind of calmed me down and it came out quite nicely and getting Sharma early settled the nerves. I was pleased with how the day went.”
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India rallied from 127-7 thanks to a quickfire 57 from Shardul Thakur, whose 31-ball fifty was the fastest-ever in a Test in England, and Woakes praised the No 8’s effort.
“We could have gone short at him, potentially,” said Woakes. “But I feel we got their top order out by bowling a good length. That was kind of what we decided to stick to. Maybe we didn’t hold length as well as we probably could have done – me included – but I think he chanced his arm, he got a few away, a couple fell in the gaps – sometimes you just have to say ‘fair play’.”
India’s Shardul Thakur eclipsed Ian Botham’s 32-ball fifty against New Zealand at The Oval in 1986
Thakur himself admitted he had adopted the positive approach after Woakes had dismissed Rishabh Pant for nine.
“When Rishabh got out, it was important for me to play such an innings,” he said. “There are two ways: you can either be patient and bank on all of the partners coming in, or if it’s in your slot hit it.
“There is no right or wrong way – runs are runs – but today was a day where I was connecting properly, so I kept going for the shots.
“Wickets kept falling at regular intervals, but we did well to get up to 190. Right now the game is equally poised; we have a chance. Let’s see how tomorrow goes.”
Watch day two of the fourth Test between England and India, from The Kia Oval, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10.15am on Friday.
