Cook suffers on Root's bow
ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from the first day in Nagpur
George Dobell in Nagpur
13-Dec-2012
Alastair Cook received a very poor decision • BCCI
Close-call of the day
Jonathan Trott was on seven and the score was 11 for 1 when, attempting to drive a delivery from Ishant Sharma, he seemed to complete the stroke too early and was struck on the front pad by the ball. India were convinced it was out but the umpire, Kumar Dharmasena, gave Trott the benefit of the doubt. Hawkeye suggested that the ball was going on to hit middle stump but Trott was struck fractionally outside the line of off stump. It was very, very close.
Jonathan Trott was on seven and the score was 11 for 1 when, attempting to drive a delivery from Ishant Sharma, he seemed to complete the stroke too early and was struck on the front pad by the ball. India were convinced it was out but the umpire, Kumar Dharmasena, gave Trott the benefit of the doubt. Hawkeye suggested that the ball was going on to hit middle stump but Trott was struck fractionally outside the line of off stump. It was very, very close.
Error of the day
If India were feeling aggrieved at the not out decision to Trott, their mood was quickly improved by the lbw decision against Alastair Cook in Sharma's next over. Cook, the most prolific batsman on either side in this series, was struck on the front pad as he prodded forward, with replays suggesting the ball would have missed the off stump by some way. It was a surprising error from Dharmasena, who was named the ICC's umpire of the year in September, and another reminder of the value of the DRS.
If India were feeling aggrieved at the not out decision to Trott, their mood was quickly improved by the lbw decision against Alastair Cook in Sharma's next over. Cook, the most prolific batsman on either side in this series, was struck on the front pad as he prodded forward, with replays suggesting the ball would have missed the off stump by some way. It was a surprising error from Dharmasena, who was named the ICC's umpire of the year in September, and another reminder of the value of the DRS.
Selection of the day
The selection of Joe Root was something of a surprise. While the decision to drop Samit Patel, whose spin has been ineffective and who has failed with the bat, was not unexpected, 21-year-old Root was thought to be behind Jonny Bairstow and perhaps Eoin Morgan too in the race to replace him. But with Bairstow having looked unconvincing against spin in Mumbai and Morgan having done little to dispel the poor impression he made in the UAE - he averaged only 19.00 in the 2012 County Championship season - Root's ability to play spin won him a maiden Test cap.
The selection of Joe Root was something of a surprise. While the decision to drop Samit Patel, whose spin has been ineffective and who has failed with the bat, was not unexpected, 21-year-old Root was thought to be behind Jonny Bairstow and perhaps Eoin Morgan too in the race to replace him. But with Bairstow having looked unconvincing against spin in Mumbai and Morgan having done little to dispel the poor impression he made in the UAE - he averaged only 19.00 in the 2012 County Championship season - Root's ability to play spin won him a maiden Test cap.
While Root has had little opportunity to impress on this tour, he did score 166 for the England Performance Programme (EPP) a couple of weeks ago. He also made a good impression on the last EPP and Lions tours where his ability to play spin was identified by the ECB's lead batting coach, Graham Thorpe. Former England stalwart Paul Collingwood, now working as a TV summariser, presented the cap to Root a few minutes before the toss.
Wicket of the day
Ravindra Jadeja's first Test wicket owed more than a little to batsman error. Jonathan Trott, solid after his early lbw scare, left a straight one and watched it thump into his off-stump. It was an odd stroke - or lack of stroke - bearing in mind there had been little spin throughout the day. Trott and Kevin Pietersen had added 86 runs together in 39 overs and the dismissal began a turning of the tide in India's favour.
Ravindra Jadeja's first Test wicket owed more than a little to batsman error. Jonathan Trott, solid after his early lbw scare, left a straight one and watched it thump into his off-stump. It was an odd stroke - or lack of stroke - bearing in mind there had been little spin throughout the day. Trott and Kevin Pietersen had added 86 runs together in 39 overs and the dismissal began a turning of the tide in India's favour.
George Dobell is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo