Ranchi | England recovered from a morning session collapse to post 302 for 7 on day one of the fourth Test against India, with Joe Root scoring an unbeaten century here on Friday.
On a day when debutant pacer Akash Deep tormented the visitors by dismissing both the openers -- Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett -- in the morning and returned figures of 3/70 to make a dream debut, former England skipper Root stood firm scoring an unbeaten 106 off 226 balls to halt the charge of the home team bowlers.
At stumps, giving Root company was Ollie Robinson (31 not out).
Earlier, Root and Ben Foakes added 113 runs for the sixth wicket to get England out of trouble after they were left struggling at 112/5 by the 27-year-old Akash Deep.
Making his Test debut in place of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who has been rested, Akash Deep recovered from a no-ball setback to dismiss Ben Duckett (11), Ollie Pope (0) and Zak Crawley (42) and leave England reeling at 57 for 3.
Jonny Bairstow smashed a 35-ball 38 with four boundaries and a six before Ravichandran Ashwin (1/17) trapped him in front.
Skipper Ben Stokes (3) was caught in front of the wicket by Ravindra Jadeja (1/28) as India dominated the morning session.
India are leading the five-Test series 2-1.
Brief Score:
England 1st innings: 302 for 7 in 90 overs (Joe Root not out 106, Zak Crawley 42, Jonny Bairstow 38, Ben Foakes 47, Ollie Robinson not out 31; Akash Deep 3/70, Mohammed Siraj 2/60).
Earlier, Akash bowled one of the best opening spells on Test debut as India dismissed half of England batting unit by lunch.
The 27-year-old pacer, who hails from Bihar but came through the ranks playing domestic cricket in Bengal, hit the deck hard and aptly maneuvered the ball in both ways in a sensational bowling display in the first hour's play after Ben Stokes opted to bat.
Akash, however, challenged that call with his three-wicket burst of Ben Duckett (11), Ollie Pope (0) and Zak Crawley (42) in a span of 10 balls.
Scoreboard at tea on the opening day of the fourth Test between India and England here on Friday.
Scoreboard at stumps on the opening day of the fourth Test between India and England here on Friday.
England 1st Innings:
Zak Crawley b Akash Deep 42
Ben Duckett c Jurel b Akash Deep 11
Ollie Pope lbw b Akash Deep 0
Joe Root not out 106
Jonny Bairstow lbw b Ashwin 38
Ben Stokes lbw b Jadeja 3
Ben Foakes c Jadeja b Mohammed Siraj 47 Tom Hartley b Mohammed Siraj 13
Ollie Robinson not out 31
Extras: (B-1, LB-6, NB-4) 11
Total: (For 7 wickets in 90 overs) 302 Fall of wickets: 1-47, 2-47, 3-57, 4-109, 5-112, 6-225, 7-245 Bowling: Mohammed Siraj 13-3-60-2, Akash Deep 17-0-70-3, Ravindra Jadeja 27-7-55-1, Ravichandran Ashwin 22-1-83-1, Kuldeep Yadav 10-3-21-0, Yashasvi Jaiswal 1-0-6-0.
