The fifth and final Test match between India and England kicked off with great anticipation on Thursday. The tourists won the toss and elected to bat first at the picturesque Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. As the day unfolded, fans from both sides were treated to an exciting display of cricket, with the English batters making a strong start and the Indian bowlers fighting back.
Strong start by England openers
The opening partnership of England, featuring Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, wasted no time in setting the tone, coming out with their trademark explosive style. Both batters got off to a flying start, putting India on the back foot right from the outset. The pair swiftly added 64 runs to the scoreboard and seemed poised to extend their partnership before Kuldeep Yadav intervened, providing the crucial breakthrough for the hosts by dismissing Duckett with his spin bowling.
Shubman Gill takes a stunner
The dismissal of Duckett was the result of an outstanding outfield effort by Shubman Gill, who pulled off an incredible catch. The pivotal moment occurred on the final ball of the 18th over when Kuldeep delivered a full-length delivery outside the off stump. Duckett attempted a glory shot to capitalize on the opportunity but only managed to produce a leading edge towards the extra cover region.
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Gill seized upon the half-chance, displaying lightning reflexes as he sprinted like a tiger. Backpedaling, he expertly judged the flight and dip of the ball before lunging sideways to secure a stunning catch. Duckett, who had been batting uncharacteristically, contributed 27 runs off 58 balls before being dismissed.
Here is the video:
Catching game 🔛 point! ⚡️ ⚡️
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— BCCI (@BCCI) March 7, 2024