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India v England: Joe Root and Matt Prior help tourists recover

By Marc HigginsonBBC Sport

Last updated on .From the section Cricketcomments199

Joe Root
Joe Root
Fourth Test, Nagpur, day one:
England 199-5 (97 overs)
Match scorecard

Debutant Joe Root and Matt Prior led England's fightback against India on an attritional first day in Nagpur.

After winning the toss England slumped to 139-5 on a slow and low wicket, but Root (31 not out) and Prior (34 no) helped the tourists recover to 199-5.

Kevin Pietersen (73) and Jonathan Trott (44) earlier rescued England from 16-2 after Ishant Sharma dismissed Nick Compton (3) and Alastair Cook (1).

England lead India 2-1, needing a draw in this final Test to win the series.

The performance of Root, in particular, will encourage England, who drafted the 21-year-old Yorkshire opener in at number six to replace Samit Patel.

The youngster showed real maturity as he mixed stout defence with intelligent run-scoring - the Sheffield-born player looking strong on both sides of the wicket alongside Prior.

It was also another impressive, gritty display by Prior who once again displayed the responsibility which is now complementing his undoubted range of attacking shots in the middle order.

While India kept England in check with some tight bowling and an improved fielding display, England's batsmen may, with the exception of Cook who fell to a poor umpiring decision, rue poor shot selection.

Pietersen, in particular, might be disappointed with the manner of his dismissal after a superb innings which was a masterclass in dogged defence and sensible strokeplay until he holed out.

The 32-year-old, who registered his second slowest Test half-century in the 188-ball knock, chipped debutant all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja into the hands of short mid-wicket to leave England wobbling at 139-5, on a ground where the average first innings score is 397.

Pietersen had shown commendable restraint as he cut out the risky shots and, together with Trott in a watchful 86-run partnership, steadied England after a turbulent start.

Sharma, the sole pace bowler in the Indian team, did the early damage as Compton, who has been awarded an incremental contract by England, edged a short ball behind before Cook was given out leg before wicket - despite replays showing the ball might not have shaped in enough.

The ball certainly did enough for Trott's dismissal as the Warwickshire batsman, who looked in good touch, left one from Jadeja which drifted back in and hit off stump.

Ian Bell, who has struggled for runs throughout the tour, again failed as he chipped leg-spinner Piyush Chawla to short extra cover after scoring just one run in 28 balls.

It was another disappointing dismissal for 30-year-old Bell, who has now scored just 56 runs at an average of 14 in his three Tests on tour.

Once Pietersen followed, it appeared England were in danger of collapse until the assured intervention of Root and Prior.

With England's lower order also boosted by the return of Tim Bresnan in place of the injured Steven Finn, the tourists will hope to grind out further runs in their pursuit of a first series win in India since 1985.

Listen to match highlights and Jonathan Agnew and Geoffrey Boycott's analysis of the day's play on the Test Match Special podcast.

We are using archive pictures for this Test because several photo agencies, including Getty Images, have been barred from the ground following a dispute with the Board of Control for Cricket in India, while other agencies have withdrawn their photographers in protest.

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199 comments

  • Comment posted by User0071864804, at 11:49 13 Dec 2012

    I have to say, still getting peeved with the KP comments. He gets 73 and he is lambasted by some for falling short. Yet you have 3 batters there that have not got into double figures and they dont seem to get a mention (Cook probably an exception). Fantastic batting from Prior and Root; I am pretty confident still given the fact that even the Indian replacements also look a bit fat. Brilliant.

  • Comment posted by martinohero, at 13:15 13 Dec 2012

    @25

    Compton is only 29! Most batsman play into their late 30's and normally improve their average between ages 30-35! I would say he has at least 5/6 more years left in him at the top of his game.

    Did you know Mike Hussey didn't make his test debut until age 30. Look at him now, 37yrs old, test average of 50, 18 hundreds and 29 fifties to his name.

  • Comment posted by Robert Puddy, at 12:36 13 Dec 2012

    @ 33.JDandfries...
    Frustrating to see KP bat that well and then...
    -----------------------------------------
    I would normally take the view about KP and his ego, but not in this case from the sounds of it he buckled down at the beginning got us back on track before he started to hit out...

    That is why he's there. steady the ship if he has too, but then he's there to move the score on

  • Comment posted by tom7386, at 13:54 13 Dec 2012

    @65. Vishal (check out lowest rated comment if u want 2 read)

    Maybe if you tried to occasionally post a informative or balanced comment people would take you seriously. As it is most readers think of you as a joke.

    Of course maybe being a troll is your thing and you get off on it.

    Pretty sad

  • Comment posted by feedthelambandhewillscore, at 12:52 13 Dec 2012

    @53
    Finn is injured, he has a slipped disc in his back. Probably shouldn't rant about the selection in this case.

  • Comment posted by AndyW, at 12:22 13 Dec 2012

    Interesting start - got to be annoyed by Cooks dismissal, such a howler by the umpire. Nice batting by KP, Root and Prior. 200 for 5 perhaps not so bad on this pitch - looking for above 300 hopefully. India probably won't beat that to be honest. Interested to see how Bresnan performs he hasn't looked in great form in India. Then a better 2nd innings for England - can still be positive!

  • Comment posted by AndyW, at 13:07 13 Dec 2012

    re 49 and 59, one of the issues is that Bairstow also deserves a run. With Bell not performing, if England see fit to bring in Root then Bairstow is looking rather unlucky. Its a tricky one and I'd guess selecting Bairstow and Root wouldve looked rather a brave selection! Really don't think Compton (one bad inn) or Trott are at threat tho - speculation

  • Comment posted by GrouchoM, at 13:09 13 Dec 2012

    Forget Bell for NZ - let Bairstow have a chance. Its a good series for new players with NZ's attack not being too great at present. I fear Bell will be kept, score runs & once more flatter to deceive in due course & fail under real pressure.

  • Comment posted by Bombay Blonde, at 14:07 13 Dec 2012

    All this nonsense about India’s time wasting. They bowled 97 overs in the day. I watch a huge amount of Test cricket and can only recall a few days that ended with the allotted overs bowled within the allotted time. The Indian Cpt and bowlers should be praised for giving the spectators 42 ‘extra’ balls in the days play.

  • Comment posted by ownprocess, at 13:05 13 Dec 2012

    Vishal, come back when India are skittled for 150. :)

  • Comment posted by MoonInUranus, at 13:06 13 Dec 2012

    Given the way these threads normally go, I'm just surprised nobody's calling for Cook to be dropped.

  • Comment posted by Robert Puddy, at 13:43 13 Dec 2012

    @ 66.JDandfries

    you missed the point...
    That is why he's there. steady the ship if he has too, but once its steadied then he's there to move the score on.

    hes there because in an explosive 15 minutes he can take the game away from the opposistion.

    As long as he played himself in first, then its his job to strike out and play expansive shots even if he gets out doing it

  • Comment posted by User0126077460, at 18:28 13 Dec 2012

    to 162. Vishal: all those players you mentioned would walk into that ageing and gutless Indian test team

  • Comment posted by tinysteelorchestra, at 13:13 13 Dec 2012

    Impossible to make any real balanced judgements on the state of the match until both teams have batted, but England seemed to get themselves out today with the exception of Cook who got a shocker. Hopefully Root and Prior can carry on tomorrow morning.

    Re Bell he's unquestionably a fabulous batsman when he gets it right, great to watch and hugely talented... but what a dreadful 2012 he's had.

  • Comment posted by User0809393379, at 16:59 13 Dec 2012

    "India got their tactics dead right - they've sat back and waited for England to make mistakes"

    I was under the impression it was India who needed a result. They can sit back and wait for mistakes all they like. They were lucky to get 5 wickets today. If they take the same sit and wait approach on day two I can see England batting past lunch and putting them under real time pressure.

  • Comment posted by User0036068494, at 14:21 13 Dec 2012

    how much longer will Bell be included - having demonstrated poor form - give Bairstow his well earned place and stick with youth - come on guys wake up!!!

  • Comment posted by David, at 17:34 13 Dec 2012

    I can't see why Root hasn't played all the games because he is basically a better version of Samit Patel... Roots just as good if not a better bowler and he is a front line batsman which Patel definitely isn't...

  • Comment posted by AndyW, at 12:54 13 Dec 2012

    re 53, Finn is out because of a disc strain in his back. Although England strengthened batting by bringing in Root for Patel. In the absence of Finn, Bresnan was the natural to bring back as a bowler who can also bat a bit but he's not been in great form. England did so well in the last test in part due to all 4 bowlers performing very well. Lets hope Bresnan can step it up for this test.

  • Comment posted by User0071864804, at 15:05 13 Dec 2012

    @118 David Lloyd I find very entertaining, mad as a box of frogs, but very funny. Nick Knight is too serious and very droll in sumation and now has a vendetta agaisnt KP since their Twitter run in. I also like TMS, but you have to move with the times I guess. I don't like paying the money to Stinker (para-phrasing you there) but I do love watching at home so I sell my soul by DD every month.

  • Comment posted by Rich_Owl, at 13:51 13 Dec 2012

    If you told England they'd only lose 5 wickets on day 1 they'd have been pretty chuffed, although they'd like to be 50 runs on, I suspect. Hard work begins again tomorrow - need to bat past lunch ideally and get up towards 300. Taking time out of the game now put pressure in India to score more quickly. In turn, that brings mistakes. Still in the balance but England have a chance.

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