England vs India, 1st Test: Top Takeaways for Virat Kohli’s Team India

The rain gods, who seemed to be playing hide and seek for the first four days, intervened once more on Day 5 and robbed us of what could have been an exciting final day of play. With India 157 runs adrift and England requiring 9 more wickets, there was everything to play for on the final day. Unfortunately, the weather forced the play to be abandoned on day 5 as well. 

Five days of intense Test cricket, 249.4 overs. Both teams still could not be separated. There were, however, numerous bright spots for India.

Let's take a look at few positives for the Virat Kohli-led side from the first Test. 

On the comeback trail - KL Rahul 

Mayank Agarwal, who was set to replace Shubman Gill, was ruled out of the first Test after being hit flush on the helmet. The concussion injury to Mayank proved to be a blessing in disguise as KL Rahul was asked to open the batting. Facing the lethal English pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad in England could be a daunting task for any opener, and even more so if you are playing a Test after two years. Rahul, on the other hand, was up for the challenge. He displayed great tenacity by scoring 84 runs, assisting India in extending the first-innings lead.

It's not easy when you have been sitting on the sidelines for a long time. The only option was to wait for his chance. He was pleased with how the things unfolded at Trent Bridge, having finally gotten to bat in the position he prefers.

“It was only practice, practice and practice and as a player, you want to be in the middle and want to challenge yourself. So I kept waiting for my opportunity, and I am very happy that it came in England. I was just looking forward to it and I am happy that opportunity came and in the first match and I gave a good contribution for the team.“ KL Rahul said. 

The surprise inclusion - Shardul Thakur makes an impact 

The decision to replace Ravichandran Ashwin with Shardul Thakur paid off. Though the move drew some criticism at first, India's four-pacer attack theory appeared to work as the Test match gradually progressed. Thakur made the most of the opportunity, providing crucial breakthroughs for India. His tidy and nagging lengths often challenged the English batsmen. He finished with overall figures of 4 wickets for 78 runs.

India’s tail wags at Trent Bridge

Runs from the lower order have often proven to be crucial, especially in England. The extra 30-40 runs make a significant difference. In the absence of Ravichandran Ashwin, the onus was on Ravindra Jadeja to contribute with the bat lower down the order.  His crucial half-century helped the team get out of trouble after India lost their way in the middle. The tailenders - Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj - added 48 valuable runs, helping India extend their lead further. The skipper praised the tailenders' efforts and also asserted that the 50-plus runs from them were like "gold dust" for India.

“They've been in the nets regularly, wanting to contribute regularly, wanting to contribute to the team. Getting 50-plus runs from those three bowlers was like gold dust for us,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation. 

Jasprit Bumrah roars back to form 

After a forgetful outing in the World Test Championship Final against New Zealand, there were serious question marks over Jasprit Bumrah’s credentials in the longer format. He was determined to make a point in the five-match Test series against England. Inevitably, the pacer roared back to form, registering figures of 4/46 and 5/64. A player of his calibre can't be written off so easily. 

At the press conference, the pacer admitted that a few mindset adjustments helped him find his mojo back. “Not a lot of adjustments to be very honest, just the mindset adjustments. Probably not looking at the end result, being in the moment, trying to back your skills and enjoy the game of cricket," Bumrah was quoted as saying at the post day press conference.