3 positives for India from their disappointing loss in the 1st Test vs England

For the first time ever, India lost a home Test after securing a first-innings lead of more than 100 runs. Despite holding an advantage of almost 200 runs midway through the Test, the hosts succumbed to England by 28 runs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.

After the loss, India have slipped to fifth in the points table of the 2023-25 World Test Championship. It was a majorly disappointing defeat for the two-time WTC finalists, who are now without a win in their last three home Tests.

At the same time, however, there were a few bright spots that stood out amidst the rubble. As Rohit Sharma and Co. gear up for the remaining four Tests, they can take heart from these.

Below are three positives for India from their disappointing loss in the first Test against England.

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#3 Yashasvi Jaiswal showed both his avatars in the Test

Yashasvi Jaiswal is here to stay

Yashasvi Jaiswal didn't have a great time in South Africa. Although he essayed a quickfire cameo in the second innings of the second Test, he looked uncertain and ended the tour without a notable contribution to his name.

Yes, batting wasn't easy on that tour at all, but Jaiswal still needed to come up with something meaningful in Hyderabad. He did just that, with his counter-attacking 80 in the first innings giving India a firm grip over the contest. The southpaw ensured that Tom Hartley never found his rhythm, striking 10 fours and three sixes in just 74 balls.

In the second innings, Jaiswal showed the defensive side of his game, with a strike rate well under 50. Whether that was the right approach or not is another matter altogether, but the promise in his orthodox red-ball game, in sharp contrast to his limited-overs style, was clear.

Questions can be asked of Jaiswal's first-innings dismissal and second-innings approach, but he scored 95 runs in the Test in challenging conditions. He could be on course to have a prolific series, and from the series opener, it's safe to say that India will need him to.

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#2 India's lower order put up a fight in the second innings

When Shreyas Iyer was dismissed in the 41st over of the final innings of the Test, it seemed like India would be rolled over easily. The score read 119/7, and all the frontline batters were back in the shed.

However, the hosts refused to buckle after that as KS Bharat and Ravichandran Ashwin stitched together a vital 57-run partnership that lasted more than 20 overs. Although they were beaten several times, the duo found a way to stay at the crease and picked the right moments to attack.

Surviving on that pitch was never going to be easy, and Bharat was eventually castled by Tom Hartley. But even Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj put on 25 runs for the last wicket, giving India the slightest glimmer of hope as the Test wound to a close.

India will certainly need the stomach for a fight in the upcoming Tests, and they seem to have it.

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#1 Jasprit Bumrah was at his supreme best in Hyderabad

Jasprit Bumrah picked up six wickets in the Test

Playing his first home Test since March 2022, when he picked up eight wickets against Sri Lanka, Jasprit Bumrah was at his deadly best once again. The ace spearhead finished the match with six scalps and was clearly the pick of the home side's bowlers.

Bumrah's fitness needs to be monitored closely given his history, but he pulled through without any problems in Hyderabad. He also got the ball to talk at all stages of the innings and single-handedly produced moments of magic to bring India back into the contest.

Bumrah's performance was so encouraging that the possibility of fielding him as the lone pacer, along with four spinners, has opened up. Moreover, he will need to be in form if India are to beat a bold English side, and he seems to be in the best of rhythm.