Rohit, Jaiswal pummel England after Kuldeep, Ashwin spin show

Dharamsala: After the spin tango of Kuldeep Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin, fifties by openers Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal took India to a commanding 135 for one on Day 1 of the fifth Test against England here on Thursday.

Skipper Rohit (52 batting, 83 balls) and Jaiswal (57, 58b) plundered 104 runs for the opening wicket in just 20.4 overs as India swiftly closed in on England’s first innings total of 218 all out.

India now trail by 83 runs.

Jaiswal got out soon after his fifty, getting stumped by Ben Foakes off off-spinner Shoaib Bashir. Shubman Gill was giving company to Rohit at 26 not out.

Kuldeep (5/72) and 100th Test man Ashwin (4/51) shared nine wickets among them as England were bundled out for a woeful total in their first innings.

Ravindra Jadeja also took a wicket as the Indian spin troika shared all the 10 English wickets.

For England, Zak Crawley offered the lone point of fight with a 108-ball 79.

Brief scores: England (1st innings): 218 all out in 57.4 overs (Zak Crawley 79; Kuldeep Yadav 5/72, R Ashwin 4/51) vs India (1st Innings): 135/1 in 30 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 57, Rohit Sharma 52 batting).