Live Score
Cricket Teams
Cricket Players
Kevin Pietersen left red-faced after Jadeja, Ashwin turn his outrageous Bazball prediction into dust in first Test
Pietersen was forced to change his outrageous prediction in only three hours by India's Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in the first Test vs England.
Kevin Pietersen predicted an outrageous first-innings score after England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and opted to bat in the first Test against India at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad. Pietersen said England would end up with 450 by the end of the day's play. Moreover, he said England won't get bowled out. It took him only three hours and some quality spin-bowling from Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja to change his mind.
"England bat. 450/9 declared today?" was Pietersen's post on X (formerly Twitter) after the toss on Thursday morning. The Hyderabad pitch was not like what Ahmedabad dished out to England the last time they toured India in 2021 but even then, 450 was wishful thinking on the first day of the Test match.
In their last 27 innings in the last 12 years in India, England have crossed 450 only four times - once in 2021, twice in 2016 which was a high-scoring series, and once in 2012, when they won the series. Opposition sides putting up huge scores against India is a rarity and it has become tougher in the last decade due to the bowler-friendly pitches.
To no one's surprise, Pietersen was forced to change his prediction. Within three hours of predicting a declaration from England after putting 450 on the board, he was now talking about a two-day Test. "Bloody hell!!!! Might be a two-day game!"
Stokes stands tall but Ashwin, Jadeja too good
And about two hours after he put the tweet out, England were bowled out for 246 in 64.3 overs.
So what prompted the change? England started briskly after opting to bat first with Ben Duckett (35) and Zak Crawley (20) putting on an opening stand of 55.
Both attacked with regular boundaries off loose balls by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj to showcase their much-talked-about "Bazball" approach.
A highly aggressive style of play, "Bazball" is a strategy devised by England coach Brendon McCullum, who goes by the nickname "Baz", and Stokes.
England reached 41-0 in eight overs before spin was introduced and Jadeja started with a maiden over, while Ravichandran Ashwin gave away just one from the other end.
Duckett kept up the charge and smashed left-arm spinner Jadeja for two successive boundaries, but fell lbw in the next over to Ashwin, who broke a breezy opening stand.
Crawley gifted Ashwin a second wicket when the tall opener hit the ball to mid-off and Siraj took a low catch, which the third-umpire checked before giving it out.
Jonny Bairstow hit 37 in a partnership of 61 with Joe Root, who made 29.
Left-arm spinner Axar Patel bowled Bairstow soon after lunch to break the stand, holding his arms up in celebration to send the home crowd into massive cheers.
Jadeja got Root caught out at short fine-leg after the veteran batsman mistimed a sweep and trudged back to the pavilion.
England have come into the game with three specialist spinners and Root, who also bowls. Mark Wood is their only fast bowler.
