England 215-8 at tea, Stokes battles on

HYDERABAD, India :England slumped to 215-8 in the opening test against India on Thursday after their frontline batters failed to convert starts on the opening day at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

Skipper Ben Stokes, who elected to bat after winning the toss, was on 43 at the tea break with Mark Wood on seven at the other end.

England got off to a rollicking start as Ben Duckett (35) and Zak Crawley (20) batted with the kind of aggression that has become the hallmark of the Ben Stokes-led side during their opening stand of 55.

But home captain Rohit Sharma turned the match on its head by introducing spin from both ends after the first eight overs.

Ashwin trapped Duckett lbw with a ball that did not turn and Ravindra Jadeja had Ollie Pope (one) caught by Rohit at first slip.

Crawley fell in the next over when he charged out against Ashwin only to drill the ball to Siraj at mid-off, where the fielder took a low, tumbling catch.

Jonny Bairstow (37) and Joe Root (29) added 61 runs for the fourth wicket to arrest their slide but India wrested back control after the lunch break.

Left-arm spinner Axar Patel drew Bairstow forward with a delivery that spun just enough to beat the bat and hit the off-stump.

Root attempted a sweep against Jadeja and ended up top-edging the ball to Bumrah at short fine leg.

Ben Foakes and Rehan Ahmed fell cheaply but debutant Tom Heartly made 23, which included a slog-swept six off Ashwin.

England, for the first time in a men's test, went into the match with just one fast bowler in Wood.