England team celebrates after winning the match against India
Right in the first match, England showed their intent and class, proving they were here to win in Indian conditions. India lost the opening Test, and that put them under early pressure in the series. From there, the road was always going to be difficult for the home side. The match had many twists and big performances, providing fans with a thrilling start to the series. Let’s take a closer look at how it all unfolded.
The first Test between India and England at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium from January 25 to 28, 2024, was a proper gut-punch. England pulled off a stunning 28-run win, snatching a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, and it was all because of Ollie Pope’s unreal 196 and a debutant spinner, Tom Hartley, who turned into a wizard with seven wickets.
England won the toss, and Ben Stokes, bold as brass, decided to bat on a pitch already spinning like a top. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett strode out, and mate, they looked ready to take on the world. Duckett was on a mission, smashing seven fours in his 35 off 39 balls, playing like he was in a T20 league. Crawley grafted for 20, and they raced to 55 before Ravichandran Ashwin, that sly genius, struck. He got Duckett lbw, and the Hyderabad crowd lost it, roaring like a monsoon storm. Crawley didn’t last much longer, nicking one to Mohammed Siraj off Ashwin, and then Ollie Pope, who you’d bet your house on, had a nightmare, scratching out 1 before Ravindra Jadeja got him caught by Rohit Sharma. At 58/3, England were in deep trouble, and India’s spinners were grinning.
Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow dug in, scratching together 61 runs. Bairstow’s 37, with five cracking boundaries, had the English fans chanting, while Root’s 29 was pure grit, dodging spin like a pro. But Axar Patel’s left-arm darts bowled Bairstow, and Jadeja sent Root packing, caught by Jasprit Bumrah. At 125/5, it was looking grim, but Stokes, the big man, came out swinging. His 70 off 88 balls, with six fours and three sixes, was a proper captain’s knock, taking the fight to India. The crowd was buzzing, but wickets kept tumbling as Ben Foakes managed just 4 before Axar struck, and Rehan Ahmed’s quick 13 ended with a catch to keeper Srikar Bharat off Bumrah. Tom Hartley showed some fire, smashing 23 with two fours and a six, but Mark Wood’s 11 couldn’t keep the tail up. Ashwin and Bumrah mopped up, with Stokes the last to go, bowled for 246 in 64.3 overs. Ashwin’s 3/68, Jadeja’s 3/88, and Axar’s 2/33 were class, while Bumrah’s 2/28 was lethal. It wasn’t a huge score, but Stokes’ fight gave England hope. The Indian fans were pumped, sensing their boys were on top, ready to pile on the runs.
India’s turn to bat, and the Hyderabad stands were like a festival. Yashasvi Jaiswal came out like a rockstar, blasting 80 off 74 balls with 10 fours and three sixes that had us jumping out of our seats. He was smashing England’s bowlers everywhere, putting on 80 with Rohit Sharma, who played a cool 24 before Jack Leach got him caught by Ben Stokes. Jaiswal kept going, but Joe Root pulled off a screamer, catching and bowling him. Shubman Gill, who’s usually Mr. Reliable, looked lost against spin, scratching out 23 before Tom Hartley, the debutant, got him caught by Ben Duckett.
KL Rahul was pure class, stroking 86 off 123 balls with eight fours and two sixes, looking like he’d bat for days. He and Shreyas Iyer (35) pushed India past 200, but Rehan Ahmed got Iyer caught by Hartley. Then came Ravindra Jadeja, cool as ice, grinding out 87 off 180 balls with seven fours and two sixes. He was a wall, teaming up with Srikar Bharat, who fought for 41 in a 68-run stand that had England sweating. The crowd was chanting “Jaddu! Jaddu!” but Root struck, trapping Bharat lbw, and Ravichandran Ashwin’s 1 ended in a daft run-out. Axar Patel kept the fire burning, making 44 with seven fours and a six, putting on 78 with Jadeja. India was dreaming of a 250-run lead, but Root had other plans as he got Jadeja lbw, nabbed Bumrah for a duck, and Rehan cleaned up Axar. India were all out for 436 in 121 overs, a solid 190-run lead. Root’s 4/79 was a shocker, with Hartley (2/131) and Rehan (2/105) grafting hard. The fans were buzzing as the pitch was turning, and England weren’t going to lie down.
England came out 190 runs behind, and it was time to show some guts. Zak Crawley started like a man on fire, cracking 31 off 33 balls with four fours and a six, but Ashwin got him caught by Rohit. Ben Duckett kept the vibe alive, stroking 47 off 52 balls with seven boundaries, and you could see England’s “Bazball” in full flow. Ollie Pope joined him, and mate, what a knock he played! But Jasprit Bumrah, bowling like he was possessed, sent Duckett back and then trapped Joe Root lbw for just 2. At 117/3, the Indian fans were screaming, sensing a collapse. But Pope was in a world of his own, playing a knock for the ages.
Pope’s 196 off 278 balls, with 21 gorgeous fours, was pure magic. He mixed solid defence with shots that left us stunned, keeping India’s bowlers on their toes. Jonny Bairstow (10) and Ben Stokes (6) couldn’t hang around, falling to Jadeja and Ashwin, but Pope didn’t blink. He found Ben Foakes, who grafted 34 off 81 balls, and their 112-run stand for the sixth wicket was a slog. Rehan Ahmed played a cheeky 28, adding 64 with Pope, and Tom Hartley chipped in with 34, smashing four fours in a 50-run stand. England crossed 400, and we were gutted, watching our bowlers toil. Bumrah’s 4/41, including Pope’s wicket at the end, was heroic, while Ashwin’s 3/126 and Jadeja’s 2/131 showed their heart. Axar grabbed one wicket, but England’s fearless batting set us 231 to chase in 102.1 overs. Pope’s knock was a dagger to the hearts of Indians as every boundary felt like a personal blow, and the English fans were going wild. The pitch was a minefield now, and 231 looked like climbing Everest. Stokes was all smiles, his team’s crazy approach paying off.
Chasing 231, India needed the opening pair to step up, but it was a horror show. Yashasvi Jaiswal scratched out 15 before Tom Hartley, that debutant who turned into a demon, got him caught by Ollie Pope. Shubman Gill had a shocker, out for a duck to Hartley, and at 42/2, the Hyderabad crowd went silent. Rohit Sharma fought back, smashing 39 off 58 balls with seven fours, looking like the saviour. But Hartley struck again, trapping him lbw after a failed review, and we were gutted. KL Rahul’s 22 and Axar Patel’s 17 gave Indian fans a glimmer, but Root got Rahul lbw, and Hartley caught Axar off his own bowling. At 95/4, India was sinking fast.
Shreyas Iyer (13) and Ravindra Jadeja (2) couldn’t stop the rot as Jadeja got run out in a stupid mix-up, thanks to Stokes’ sharp fielding, and Jack Leach got Iyer caught by Root. At 119/7, India was staring at defeat, hearts in the fans’ mouths. Srikar Bharat and Ravichandran Ashwin didn’t give up, scratching out 57 runs together. Bharat’s 28 and Ashwin’s 28 had fans chanting, hoping for a miracle. But Hartley was relentless as he bowled Bharat, then stumped Ashwin, and the hopes were crumbling. Jasprit Bumrah (6 not out) and Mohammed Siraj (12) swung like warriors, but Hartley finished it, stumping Siraj for a mind-blowing 7/62. India were all out for 202 in 69.2 overs, 28 runs short. Root (1/41) and Leach (1/33) backed Hartley, but he was the star. The stands were quiet, fans in shock as England’s spinners outdid the Indian batters. Stokes called it his best win, and you could see why as Pope’s 196 set it up, and Hartley’s spell broke India.