NAGPUR — India made a strong start in its quest to level the four-match Test series by reducing England to 199 for five at stumps on day one here Thursday. In what can best be described as a boring opening day's play, England's batsmen struggled to adapt to a slow, low pitch at the VCA Stadium, with only Kevin Pietersen (73) reaching a half-century. Pietersen's contribution helped England recover from 16-2 after Alastair Cook, fresh from winning his first toss as captain, and opening partner Nick Compton had fallen early to Ishant Sharma (32-2). Pietersen and Jonathan Trott shared an 86-run partnership for the third wicket to put the tourists back on track, however, the former failed to kick on and join Cook on 23 Test centuries when he clipped debutant Ravindra Jadeja (34-2) to Piyush Chawla at midwicket shortly after tea. Jadeja had accounted for Trott earlier in the afternoon, while Warwickshire teammate Ian Bell (1) fell cheaply to Piyush Chawla, but England debutant Joe Root and Matt Prior shared an unbroken 60-run partnership in the evening session to lift spirits heading into day two. Root, selected at No. 6 in place of Samit Patel in one of two changes made by England - Tim Bresnan also replacing the injured Steven Finn, reached the close unbeaten on 31, with Prior (34 not out) playing a useful hand alongside him. Sharma removed Cook in controversial circumstances. Cook (1) was struck on the pads outside off stump by a delivery that was angling away, however, umpire Kumar Dharmasena raised his finger - and with no DRS in play, there was little the England captain could do. Pietersen scored a 50 for the 28th time in Tests, he then went past 15,000 career first-class runs. — Agencies
