Rohit Sharma says India weren't brave enough after loss to England in first Test

India captain Rohit Sharma acknowledged that the team wasn't brave enough in the 231-run chase against England in 1st Test.

England registered an impressive 28-run win against India in the opening Test in Hyderabad, thanks to inspiring performances by Ollie Pope and newcomer left-arm spinner Tom Hartley.

India's captain Rohit Sharma reacts as he leaves the field after losing his wicket to England's Tom Hartley on the fourth day of the first cricket test match between England and India (AP)

India's second innings chase of 231 runs took a turn for the worse as Hartley's mesmerizing performance (7/62) dismantled the home team's top order, triggering a collapse that saw Rohit Sharma's men bowled out for 202 in the final over of the day. With this win, England have taken a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

The defeat marks India's fourth loss in home Tests since 2013 and their first-ever defeat in Hyderabad, spanning two venues in the city.

India's approach during the chase stood in stark contrast to Pope's aggressive stance against Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. The spin duo, though formidable, failed to make an impression on a surface that wasn't particularly spin-friendly.

India captain Rohit Sharma believed the home side was in the game for a significant period of play, and he's not wrong. India took a massive 190-run lead against England in the first innings before Ollie Pope's aggressive 196-run knock proved game-changing for the English team.

“It's hard to pinpoint where it went wrong. Having got a lead of 190, we thought we were very much in the game. (It was) exceptional batting (by Ollie Pope), one of the best that I have seen in Indian conditions by an overseas batter,” Rohit Sharma said in the post-match presentation.

The Indian captain believed the 231-run target was achievable on a track that wasn't spinning much but the batting effort was lacklustre in the second innings.

"I thought 230 was gettable, there wasn't too much in the pitch. We didn't bat well enough to get to the score. I went and checked where we bowled, we bowled in the right areas. When you finish the day, you analyse what went well and what didn't go well.

“The bowlers executed the plans really well, but you've got to take your hat off and say well played to Pope. That was some serious knock,” said Rohit.

Following the top and middle-order collapse that left India reeling at 119/7, KS Bharat (28) and Ravichandran Ashwin (28) led India's fightback. Following their dismissals, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah forged a 25-run stand that lifted India's hopes for a while. Siraj was eventually dismissed in the last over of the day.

“We didn't bat well enough to get to that score. I wanted them (Siraj and Bumrah) to take the game to the fifth day. (With) 20-30 runs, anything is possible. The lower order actually fought really well there and showed the top order that you need to fight it out. You need to show character, you need to be brave enough, which I thought we weren't. We wanted to take some chances, we didn't take chances with the bat. But that can happen. It's the first game of the series, I hope the guys can learn from that,” Rohit said.