Watch: Ball Boy Yawns Watching England Bat vs India, Ravi Shastri Drops 'Wake Up' Message
Amid all the excitement and action on Day 1, a ball boys was yawning near the boundary rope.
From debutant pacer Akash Deep's fiery opening spell, to Joe Root's gritty century, the fourth Test between India and England had several talking points from the opening day. Akash Deep, who replaced Jasprit Bumrah in India's playing XI, took three wickets in the morning session, reducing England to 112/5. However, Root led England's recovery, smshing his 31st Test ton after a 113-run partnership with wicketkeeper Ben Foakes. Amid all the excitement and action on Day 1, a ball boys was yawning near the boundary rope.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who was on commentary duty, was seen having a laugh about the incident. He jokingly urged the ball boy to "wake up" while he was relaxing behind the boundary line.
Root's unbeaten 106 off 226 balls, which was made at a strike rate of 46.90, comes after criticism over his reverse-lap shot, that led to his dismissal in the third Test in Rajkot.
Root had entered the fourth Test on the back of scores of 29, 2, 5, 16, 18, and 7.
England opener Zak Crawley described Root's spell at the crease as "unbelievable".
"We fully expected him to get a good score at some point in this series," he said. "He was due, he's the best player we've ever had and he played phenomenally today."
The former England captain reached his hundred with a boundary off Deep and then took off his helmet and raised his bat to a standing ovation from the England players and fans.
Root and Foakes kept calm in an uncharacteristically patient show of batting by England, a temporary departure from their attacking "Bazball" style, which denied India a wicket in the afternoon session.
Meanwhile, England were 302/7 at the end of the opening day.
Foakes hit a gritty 47 off 126 balls before being caught at short midwicket off Mohammed Siraj's delivery.
England are fighting to stay alive at 2-1 down in the five-match series.
(With AFP Inputs)
India Cricket Team
England Cricket Team
Joe Root