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After suffering a disappointing loss in the inaugural WTC final, the Indian Test team will return to the field this week to play the first Test of the 5-match series against England. Trent Bridge in Nottingham will host the series opener between August 4-8. The second WTC cycle will officially begin with this series.
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So far, India have played seven Test matches at Trent Bridge against England. Team India won two games and lost the same number of games. The remaining three games ended in a draw. India's last game at the venue was a memorable one for them, as they defeated the hosts by a massive margin of 203 runs in 2018.
August 18-22, 2018: Virat Kohli's superlative performance with the bat help India beat the hosts at Trent Bridge during their previous tour of England
It was the third Test of the 5-match series during India's tour of England in 2018. The hosts won the first two games and were leading 2-0 going into this game. India desperately needed to win this game to stay alive in the series.
England skipper Joe Root won the toss and opted to field first in the bowler-friendly conditions. Indian openers Shikhar Dhawan (35) and KL Rahul (23) fought through the first hour successfully and put on an opening partnership of 60. The duo made sure they shielded the middle-order from the new ball threat posed by James Anderson and Stuart Broad.
Cheteshwar Pujara(14) could not contribute much as Chris Woakes dismissed him at the stroke of lunch, leaving India in trouble at 82-3. Skipper Virat Kohli (97) and Rahane (81) then consolidated the innings and built a 159-run partnership to provide a good platform for the team's first innings total.
But none of the batters scored substantially after their departure, so India got all-out for 329. James Anderson, Stuart Broad, and Chris Woakes picked up three wickets apiece for England in the first innings.
A couple of England batsmen got starts, but they could not convert them, so the hosts got bundled out for 169 in their first innings and conceded a lead of 168 runs to the visitors. Jos Buttler(32 in 39 balls) was the top scorer in the line-up. Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya (5/28) bowled exceptionally and bagged his maiden fifer in Test cricket. Ishant Sharma (2/32), Mohammed Shami(1/56), and Bumrah (2/37) also bowled well.
India continued their dominance in the Test as they put in an improved batting performance in the second innings. They eventually declared their innings at 352/7 and set a mammoth target of 521 for England. Virat Kohli(103), Cheteshwar Pujara(72), and Hardik Pandya(52*) were the top performers for India in their second innings.
In reply, even though England's top order failed again, Ben Stokes(62) and Jos Buttler(106) tried their best in the middle-order, but the target proved to be much in the end for them. Jasprit Bumrah's(5/85) five-wicket haul helped India bowl out England for 317. Team India won the game by 203 runs and opened their account in the series.
Virat Kohli won the player of the match award for his outstanding batsmanship in both innings of the Test.
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