England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett continued their impressive run at the top of the order for England as they helped the hosts get off to a rollicking start in the first innings of the fifth Test against India. With India putting up 224 in their first innings, the English openers motored their way to cut the visitors' lead as they put up 92 for the first wicket in quick time.
The Indian bowlers struggled to find their line and length right, and their issues were compounded when the openers began taking them on. They took nine runs from the third over of Mohammed Siraj and then 12 from the sixth one as the hosts got to their fifty off just 42 balls.
With their fifty-run stand, Crawley and Duckett have equalled a historic opening partnership record of former West Indies greats Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes. This was Crawley and Duckett's eighth fifty-plus score for the first wicket against India in Tests, which put them on level with the two Windies duo.
They were earlier tied with three pairs (Alastair Cook-Andrew Strauss, Matthew Hayden-Justin Langer and Bill Lawry-Bob Simpson) on the list.
Meanwhile, the two have shattered the record for most runs by an England opening pair against India. The two now have 984 runs against India. The previous record for England belonged to Cook and Strauss, with the duo having scored 932 for the opening wicket against the Indian team.
Notably, Akash Deep provided the first breakthrough when he ended Duckett's stay on 43, ending the 92-run opening stand. Crawley got to his 19th Test fifty and his third of the series. He made 64 from 57 deliveries before Prasidh Krishna removed him with Ravindra Jadeja taking a fine catch at mid-wicket.
India were earlier bowled out for 224 after the hosts made a strong comeback to make light work of the Indian lower order. The hosts lost their last four wickets for six runs as they, from 218/6, were bowled out for 224. Gus Atkinson starred with a five-wicket haul in the first innings.
