After seeing off the new ball, England openers would look to score big on the second day of the third Test against India at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
There was a thirty minutes delay in start of play due to drizzle in the morning, but later the skies cleared up and the covers were removed.
England’s bid to become the top Test-ranked nation in the world received a boost on the opening day by reaching 84-0 at stumps after bowling India out for 224.
England captain Andrew Strauss hit his highest score of the series, 52 not out from 83 balls with 10 fours, as the hosts steadily eroded the tourists’ lead. Alastair Cook was unbeaten on 27 at the close of play.
Earlier, England bowlers Stuart Broad took 4-53 and Tim Bresnan 4-62 to skittle India, though captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni hit 77 from 96 balls with 10 fours and three sixes.
Dhoni put on an eighth-wicket stand of 84 with Praveen Kumar (26) to help rebuild the innings from 111-7 after Bresnan and Broad had run through the visitors.
India trails 2-0 in the four-Test series and will lose the No. 1 ranking if England wins by two matches.
Having been sent in to bat, India lost four wickets in each of the first two sessions with the ball considerably in the overcast conditions and swirling wind, and Strauss’ decision to bowl after winning the toss was quickly vindicated.
