When Kuldeep Yadav bowls, it’s like a chess mehfil at the town square

Kanpur wrist-spinner rips up English batting in a 15-over performance for five wickets. Kuldeep Yadav's obliging teammates would gather around him and caress his thick mop of brownish hair every time he took a wicket. The wrist-spinner from Kanpur proved to be his team's rescue on a firm, brownish true track that proved difficult for pacers and finger-spinners to get wickets. Kuldeep Yadav made it clear to the world on a typically overcast English morning that this was not Ben Stokes and his men's home away from home, at a stadium that had more Barmy Army flags than Tricolours. His 5/72 figures showcased his wide repertory, which includes numerous stock balls in addition to numerous modifications and adaptations. England's 218 all out first innings total proved once again that Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma's India can destroy foreign teams for little money even without the use of pitch alteration. Additionally, Kuldeep's unaltered 15-over spell—during which England surged from 55/0 to 179/6—confirmed the numerous match-winning players that Rohit's side has produced. Should Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Ravichandran Ashwin fail to make the breakthrough, the man from Kanpur's deceit and slyness remain a viable option. The most notable of Kuldeep's first-day dismissals was when he stumped England's number three.

Pope Ollie. It demonstrated how everyone in the vicinity of the bat participates in spin bowling as a community activity. It reminds me of those unofficial chess games in town squares where bystanders feel obligated to burrow down over the board and offer advice to the players. When the ball is in the hands of Kuldeep, the wristspinner who piques the interest of all his accomplices and transforms into the sniper who follows instructions to the letter, the talk increases in volume and frequency. Zak Crawley, the opener, had danced down the track to hit Ashwin for a six over the sightscreen only one over before Pope was out. Lunch was only a few minutes away, but apparently Bazballers don't follow the minutes on a clock. In his brief visit, Pope had remained primarily in the fold. The close-in fielders exchanged knowing glances. In just his third Test match, young wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel would soon say something that would go viral. "Aage badhne waala hai (He is about to step out)" will be heard over the stump mic to Kuldeep. Pulling back his length, Kuldeep would bowl the wrong 'un, the spin-tribe's go-to counterbalance, to anyone racing out of the crease.