England crushes India to win 1st test by 227 runs

CHENNAI, India (AP) — England inflicted on India its first home loss in four years by overwhelming the host on the last day of the first test and winning by 227 runs on Tuesday.

India, handed a 420-run target to win but batting for a draw, was bowled out for 192 half an hour before tea.

Fast bowler James Anderson turned England’s fortunes in his first over of the day with genius inswingers. He bowled Shubman Gill with his second delivery and Ajinkya Rahane with his fifth to reduce India to 92-4 in the morning session.

Six overs later, Rishabh Pant was caught at short extra cover, chipping the ball off Anderson again. India went to lunch 144-6.

Virat Kohli was comfortable in his first test after paternity leave, scoring 72 until he was undone by a Ben Stokes in-cutter that kept low.

Spinner Jack Leach cleaned up with 4-76 and Jofra Archer sealed the win by dismissing Jasprit Bumrah.

“To take 20 wickets in alien conditions is a brilliant job from the bowlers,” said England captain Joe Root, man of the match for his double century.

“Standing here, having won the first game is very pleasing. (But) we know India are going to come back hard at us.”

In Australia recently, India was bowled out for 36 in the first test but came from behind to win that series 2-1.

India has lost in Chennai for the first time since 1999. The teams remain in Chennai for the second test of the four-match series starting on Saturday.

Following a sixth successive away win, England is on top of the world test championship table. But it needs two more wins to qualify for the final against New Zealand in June.

India dropped to fourth in the standings but a 2-1 series win will be enough to still make the final.

“We didn’t put enough pressure on England with the ball in the first innings,” Kohli said. “Collectively, the bowling unit was good but we needed to contain a few more runs and create more pressure. It was a slow wicket and didn’t help the bowlers. Credit to England, they got stuck in and put up a big total on the board.”

England won the toss and scored 578 and 178. India made 337 and England didn’t enforce the follow-on on Monday to deliberately prevent India from winning.

But India began the last day well.

Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara briskly added 33 runs for the second wicket. Pujara was the first to go, outfoxed on 15 by another clever delivery from Leach.

Gill then reached his third half-century in four tests off 81 deliveries. He added 34 runs with Kohli, who was cruising until Anderson was handed the ball.

Suddenly, the wickets of Gill, for 50, and Rahane, for a duck, were cartwheeling in a remarkable first over of reverse swing.

“The reverse swing was huge for us but we knew we had to get the lengths right. I managed to do that,” Anderson said.

“The pitch was slow so reverse swing helps us seamers feel we can take a wicket any ball. I am feeling great. We had a good tour of Sri Lanka and have managed to carry on the form here as well.”

Anderson also removed Pant on 11 for a destructive spell of 3-5 with 6 runs conceded. He finished the innings with 3-17.

Dom Bess then had Washington Sundar caught behind as India collapsed to 117-6, losing four wickets for 25 runs in the space of 45 deliveries.

Kohli held out England for 72 from 104 balls, including nine boundaries, until Stokes got him with a ball that kept low, and soon after India’s 14-test unbeaten run at home was ended.