The first day of the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala belonged to India, thanks to a dominant spell from their spin bowlers. Kuldeep Yadav led the charge with a five-wicket haul, and Ravichandran Ashwin added four wickets to his tally in his landmark 100th Test. India's batting lineup also showed their strength, with Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal both scoring half-centuries. India finished the day at 135/1, with Rohit (52*) and Shubman Gill (26*) still at the crease, trailing England by 83 runs.
An outstanding bowling performance from the spinners helped India to dominate Day 1 of the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala. Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav starred with a fifer, while senior spinner Ravichandran Ashwin picked up four wickets in his 100th Test match. The hosts also showcased their batting prowess with Yashasvi Jaiswal and skipper Rohit Sharma hitting half-centuries. Rohit and Shubman Gill returned unbeaten on 52 and 26 respectively, helping India to reach 135/1 at Stumps, trailing England by 83 runs.
Choosing to bat first, England's opening duo of Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett got off to a promising start with a 64-run partnership. The breakthrough finally came in the 18th over when Kuldeep dismissed Duckett for 27, caught by a sprinting Gill. Not long after, a sharp piece of work from wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel saw Ollie Pope go for just 11. The momentum shifted further when Kuldeep bowled a brilliant delivery to remove the well-playing Crawley for 79.
Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow attempted to steady the ship with a 38-run stand, but Kuldeep halted their progress by dismissing Bairstow for 29. In the very next over, Ravindra Jadeja trapped Root (26) LBW. The pressure mounted as Kuldeep then sent Ben Stokes back for a duck; despite all three batsmen attempting DRS reviews, the original decisions stood. Ashwin then tore through the lower order, eventually bowling England out for 218.
India's response was spirited, with Rohit and Jaiswal putting on a visually impressive 104-run opening stand, mixing cautious play with elegant boundary-hitting. Jaiswal eventually fell for a brisk 57. With nine wickets still in hand, India is well-positioned to build a significant lead on Day 2, while England will be desperate to strike early in the morning to regain momentum.