IND VS ENG - 1st Test, England tour of India, 2021

Root has won six out of six as captain in Asian conditions. His side beat Sri Lanka in five successive games and have started their India tour with a bang. They will take a lot of positives from this Test especially the performances of players playing their first game in alien conditions. India have been given a reality check after the highs of Australia and they once again find themselves having to come back from behind to win a series. They managed to do that a month or so ago. Can they do it again? The second Test is at the same venue on a different surface and it will start in four days time (February 13). Don't forget to join us for that game. For now, this will be Akshay Maanay signing off on behalf of my colleagues MS Ramakrishnan, Sagar Chawla and Siva. Goodbye!

Most Test wins among England captains:
26 Joe Root (47 Tests) *
26 Michael Vaughan (51)
24 Andrew Strauss (50)
24 Alastair Cook (59)
20 Peter May (41)

Virat Kohli has now lost his last four Tests as captain - the most he has lost in succession. In the seven Tests prior to that he had won seven in a row, the longest such sequence for an Indian captain.

Most consecutive wins by visiting sides in Asia
7 Australia (2002-04)
6 England (2018-21)*
No other instances of more than three successive win

Joe Root as captain in Asia: Six Tests | Six wins. Among visiting captains in Asia, only Graeme Smith (eight wins in 21 Tests) and Clive Lloyd (seven in 17) have won more Tests as skipper.

Joe Root | England captain and Player of the Match: Crucial toss but from that point we had to follow through and make the most of a very good wicket. We did that very well. To take 20 wickets in alien conditions is a brilliant job from the bowlers. Knew from the outset it was going to be a good wicket. The first partnership got us going. Different stages guys came in and contributed. That's got to be the way - if we're going to win out here someone has to do that. Fortunately it was me this week. We know that India are going to come back hard at us. The idea was to get to 400. Didn't quite materialise like that. But having spent some time out there, I knew the wicket had changed drastically and knew it was going to change again. Wanted to take India's win out of the equation. As a bowling group we didn't want to worry about the run rate. Standing here, having won the first game is very pleasing. The way he (Anderson) goes about things, challenging himself constantly and getting better all the time even at 38. He's a great role model to the rest of the group. His skill level is right up there with anyone we've ever seen.

(2/2): That's a fair assessment (the fourth and fifth bowlers not being up to the mark). You need your bowling unit to step up and create pressure on the opposition. We didn't achieve that in this game which is fine, lack of execution is acceptable but to understand our mindset was right is very important for us. I think we did well in the second innings with the ball and put pressure on them. With the bat as well we left a few things to be desired and analysed as batsmen with the kind of decisions we took. We are always learning as a side and evolving as a side and Test cricket is tough. England were ready for that grind and probably better equipped than us. (the toss) Ended being crucial I didn't think it would. We don't want to take anything away from England with the way they played. No excuses. We are a side that accepts our failures and faults and learns from them. One thing is for sure that in the next three matches we are going to give a tough fight and not let things slip away like it did in this Test. We have to start off with good body language and put pressure on the opposition. Understand fields, pace of the pitch and what the bowlers are doing, all those kind of things will be crucial. In the end it is the mindset and we are tying to get that back. We know how to bounce back and will give our best effort in the next game. He's (Pant) a guy who likes to have fun on the field and we want him to continue doing that. He keeps the boys entertained as well and his personality is helpful.

Virat Kohli | India captain (1/2): I don't think we put enough pressure on them with the ball in the first half. Collectively as a bowling unit, fast bowlers and Ash, were good in the first innings but we also needed to contain a few more runs and create pressure. Having said that, it was a slow wicket and not helping the bowlers which made it easy for the batsmen to rotate strike and get into the game. Just looked like not much was happening in it on the first two days. But credit to England, they got stuck in and put up a big total on the board. Our body language and intensity was not up to the mark, second innings we were much better. We were better in the second half of the first innings with the bat, not the first four batters. We have to understand the things that we have done decently in this game and the things that we haven't and as a side we are always looking to improve. England were far more professional and consistent throughout the Test match than we were.

Leach: My first time in India. They have a great batting lineup and I knew the pressure that comes with it. Happy to take some wickets and get the boys over the line. Thought he was playing in the IPL (Pant). It's a challenge that comes for a spinner. Was a tough evening that one but boys helped me stay strong. Had a long time without any cricket (before Sri Lanka). Was about bowling those long overs in the heat.

Anderson: Came out well. The ball was reversing. We knew we had to get the lengths right and I managed to do that. I got a bit of luck with the bounce there. Reverse swing was huge for us. The pitch was obviously slow and deteriorating so movement in the air makes us seamers feel we can get a wicket any ball. I am feeling great. Had a good tour of Sri Lanka and have managed to carry on the form here as well. Glad to have got the nod for this game, we have a good lot of bowlers here. It was hard graft out there for five days, now need to rest well for three days and come hard again in... well three days (smiles). Root is a great player of spin. Has led us from the front, led by example. Hopefully he can continue the form and the rest of us can chip in.

This is a brilliant victory for England. The senior pros like Anderson, Root and Stokes made vital contributions but it was also the newcomers - Sibley, Bess and Leach - playing their first game in India and putting up some noticeable performances. Sibley added the all important 200-run partnership with his skipper, Bess was the chief wrecker with the ball in the first innings while Leach, who took a fair amount of beating in the first, came back strongly to pick up four second innings wickets. But the man who orchestrated this victory is none other than skipper Joe Root. He won a good toss but England still needed to bat well and he took that responsibilty, carrying on from where he had left off in Sri Lanka to record a magnificent double hundred and not to forget a quickfire 40 in the second essay. He really has set the benchmark for his team mates in the matches to follow.. Hang around for the player comments

The day started well with Pujara and Gill being positive against spin. The pair seemed to be in control before Leach got one to bounce more to get rid of India's mainstay - Pujara. Then Anderson was introduced and he just broke the backbone of the batting line-up in four deliveries, cleaning up a well-set Gill and a struggling Rahane. The veteran followed it up by deceiving Pant with a slower ball and putting England on course to victory. Kohli battled on at one end and got some support from Ashwin, they defied England for some time but it was Leach who once again provided the breakthrough. Stokes then got into action, getting one to stay down and castling Kohli for 72 and it was just a formality after that.

13:35 Local Time, 08:05 GMT, 13:35 IST: It just looked improbable didn't it. But the recent battles in Australia gave hope that this Indian team might pull off another special feat but alas that was't the case today. There were a lot of similarities equation wise about what happened in Sydney and Gabba to what was required here but the main factor was the challenging conditions at Chepauk. The surface had become very abrasive, helping the ball to reverse and generating uneven bounce, unlike the ones in Australia were there was little aid for the bowlers. So it was always going to be more difficult for India to win or even draw this game.

Jofra Archer to Bumrah, out Caught by Buttler!! England take a 1-0 lead. Celebration in the England camp. Handhsakes and hi-fives in the field and he dressing room. They have completely outplayed India and beaten them by 227 runs. Back of a length delivery around off, Bumrah has a poke and the outside edge goes at a comfortable height to Buttler. Simple catch and that's that. Bumrah c Buttler b Jofra Archer 4(4) [4s-1]

Jofra Archer to Bumrah, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Jack Leach to Ishant, no run, drifting and straightening, Ishant stretches forward and drops it dead near his feet

Jack Leach to Ishant, no run, slower and turning away, Ishant defends off the outer half towards backward point

Jack Leach to Ishant, no run, lands it almost in the blockhole, Ishant jams it down in the crease

Jack Leach to Ishant, no run, straighter one outside off, Ishant is happy to let it pass

Jack Leach to Ishant, FOUR, now Ishant decides to take on Leach. He sits down on his knee and sweeps it over the square leg umpire, Archer had to go back and fetch the ball from the boundary rope