Virat Kohli Stays Unbeaten on 49 as India Hold England to a Draw in Series Opener

However, the main talking point came when Ben Stokes offered a handshake to Jadeja, who refused as both were close to scoring hundreds. This moment reminded fans of a similar incident from the past when Virat Kohli was unbeaten on 49 but still chose to shake hands and end the game. That act showed sportsmanship. Now, let’s take a look back at the full story of that memorable Test match.

India vs England: 1st Test from November 09 – 13, 2016

After England won the toss and decided to bat first, the 1st Test at Rajkot’s Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium from November 9 to 13, 2016, turned into a thrilling, high-scoring draw. England racked up 537 and 260/3 declared, while India fought back with 488 and 172/6 chasing 310. Each innings had its heroes, from Joe Root and Moeen Ali to Murali Vijay and Virat Kohli, making this a cracking start to the series.

England’s First Innings

England kicked things off with a bang, piling on 537 runs in 159.3 overs to set a daunting total. The innings was a proper show of grit and flair, with three batsmen, Joe Root, Moeen Ali, and Ben Stokes, smashing centuries. Skipper Alastair Cook got things rolling with a steady 21 off 47 balls, stroking two fours before Ravindra Jadeja got him lbw. Young Haseeb Hameed, making his Test debut, looked the part with 31 off 82 balls, hitting six fours, but Ravichandran Ashwin spun one past him to break the opening stand.

Then came Joe Root, who played like a dream, scoring 124 off 180 balls with 11 fours and a six. He was all class, picking gaps against India’s spinners like it was a practice game. Moeen Ali, who later bagged Player of the Match, joined Root and played a gem of a knock, 117 off 213 balls with 13 fours, anchoring the middle order with patience. Ben Stokes took it up a notch, blasting 128 off 235 balls, with 13 fours and two sixes, giving England’s total some real muscle. Jonny Bairstow chipped in with a lively 46 off 57 balls, smashing five fours and two sixes, while Zafar Ansari hung around for 32 off 83 balls to frustrate India. The Indian bowlers had a tough day in the office.

Jadeja was the pick, snagging 3 wickets for 86 runs in 30 overs, but he couldn’t stop the runs. Ashwin grabbed two wickets but leaked 167 runs, while Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami also took two each, conceding 112 and 65 runs. Amit Mishra got one scalp. England’s scoring rate of 3.36 runs per over showed they were in control, building a massive total on a pitch that was great for batting but offered a bit of turn.

India’s First Innings

India came out swinging, or rather, defending, answering England’s huge total with 488 runs in 162 overs, just 49 runs shy. This was a proper team effort, led by two cracking centuries from Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara. Vijay was a rock, batting for ages to score 126 off 301 balls, with nine fours and four sixes, just soaking up the pressure. Pujara was equally brilliant, hammering 124 off 206 balls with 17 fours, and together they put on 209 runs for the second wicket, giving England a headache. Gautam Gambhir started well with 29 off 72 balls before Stuart Broad got him lbw. Skipper Virat Kohli looked solid for his 40 off 95 balls, but in a freak moment, he knocked his stumps off Adil Rashid’s bowling, talk about bad luck!

Ravichandran Ashwin showed he’s more than just a bowler, cracking 70 off 139 balls with seven fours, while Wriddhiman Saha played a handy 35 off 82 balls, including two fours and a six. Ravindra Jadeja added 12, but Ajinkya Rahane (13) and Amit Mishra (0) couldn’t get going, falling to England’s spinners. Umesh Yadav scratched around for 5, and Mohammed Shami was not out on 8. England’s bowlers worked hard, with Adil Rashid stealing the show, taking 4 wickets for 114 runs, getting big names like Vijay, Kohli, and Jadeja. Moeen Ali and Zafar Ansari chipped in with two wickets each, giving away 85 and 77 runs, while Broad and Ben Stokes nabbed one apiece.

India’s innings went on for 731 minutes, showing their determination to hang in there. The pitch was still decent for batting, but England’s spinners found enough turn to keep things interesting. Vijay and Pujara’s marathon stand was the heart of the innings, keeping India in the fight and proving they weren’t going to roll over easily. It was a proper Test match grind, setting things up nicely for the next phase.

England’s Second Innings

England came back for their second innings and played it smart, scoring 260/3 in 75.3 overs before declaring to set India a tricky target of 310. Alastair Cook led from the front, carving out a brilliant 130 off 243 balls with 13 fours, just picking the bowlers apart with ease. Haseeb Hameed, the debutant, kept up his good form, making 82 off 177 balls with seven fours and a six, and the two of them put on a massive 180-run opening stand that wore India down. Joe Root didn’t last long this time, nicking off for 4 off 5 balls to Amit Mishra, who bowled with some guile.

Ben Stokes, unbeaten on 29 off 29 balls with five fours, gave it a bit of a whack to push things along before the declaration came when Cook fell to Ravichandran Ashwin. Ashwin bowled his heart out, taking 1 wicket for 63 runs in 23.3 overs, keeping things tight. Mishra was the star with the ball, grabbing 2 wickets for 60 runs, but Ravindra Jadeja (0/47), Umesh Yadav (0/47), and Mohammed Shami (0/29) couldn’t find a breakthrough. England scored at a decent clip of 3.44 runs per over, mixing caution with intent to set up the game. The declaration was a bold move, giving their bowlers a shot at bowling India out on a pitch that was starting to help the spinners more.

Cook’s century was pure class, showing why he’s one of England’s best, while Hameed’s knock proved he was no fluke. Stokes’ quick runs at the end added some spice, making sure India had a real chase on their hands. England played this innings like chess masters, setting a target that wasn’t impossible but would test India’s nerve on the final day. It was a perfect setup for a cracking finish, with everything to play for.

India’s Second Innings

Chasing 310 in about 52 overs, India battled to 172/6 in 52.3 overs, holding on for a hard-fought draw. Things started rough, with Gautam Gambhir gone for a duck off Chris Woakes in just the second over, talk about a nightmare start! Murali Vijay steadied the ship with 31 off 71 balls, stroking six fours, but Adil Rashid got him caught. Cheteshwar Pujara grafted for 18 off 36 balls before Rashid trapped him lbw, leaving India wobbling at 47/2.

Skipper Virat Kohli was the glue, staying not out on 49 off 98 balls with six fours, playing with the calm that one would expect from a captain under pressure. Ajinkya Rahane had a rare off day, bowled for 1 by Moeen Ali. Ravichandran Ashwin fought back with a brisk 32 off 53 balls, smashing six fours, but Zafar Ansari sent him packing. Wriddhiman Saha made 9 before Rashid struck again, while Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten 32 off 33 balls, with six fours, gave India some late fight. India scored at 3.27 runs per over, playing it safe to save the game rather than going all-out for the win.

Rashid was England’s dangerman, taking 3 wickets for 64 runs, spinning a web around the batsmen. Moeen Ali and Ansari each took one wicket, while Woakes got that early breakthrough. Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes kept things tight but couldn’t nab a wicket. With 138 runs still needed and four wickets left, the game petered out to a draw. Kohli’s steady hand and Jadeja’s late cameo were key, showing India’s grit to hang on. England threw everything at them, but the clock ran out. This was proper Test cricket, tense, tough, and full of heart, with India digging deep to keep the series level.