England in pole position against India on opening day after Joe Root's stunning century
ENGLAND still have a long way to go if they are to compete with India over the coming weeks, but Joe Root's stunning hundred on the opening day of this first Test showed his team-mates just what is required to live with the world's No1 team.
Root has long been regarded among the finest batsmen on the planet, and his latest masterpiece is proof positive he is the man for all seasons and all conditions.
It's barely two weeks since Alastair Cook's side imploded spectacularly inside a session in Dhaka to slump to a humiliating defeat to Bangladesh, the world's ninth-ranked team who had never previously beaten a major Test nation at home.
However, the anxieties about England's fragility against spin ahead of this five-match series were swept away - both literally and metaphorically - as Root powered his way to his first Test hundred in Asia.
A sweep against India's prolific off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was the shot that brought up Root's landmark during the afternoon.
And his 179-run fourth-wicket stand with Moeen Ali allowed England to recover from a morning session that had seen them limp into lunch on 102-3 after losing Cook, debutant opener Haseeb Hameed and Ben Duckett.
Moeen, who put on 107 with Root during a blissful afternoon session under the baking Indian sun, finished the day unbeaten on 99, his highest overseas Test score, as England closed on a commanding 311-4.
Yet the day belonged to Root, whose 11th Test hundred was his best away from home, surpassing even the brilliant 110 he scored in Johannesburg in January that set up England's series-sealing victory in Johannesburg.
After five previous half-centuries in Asia, including 73 on his debut against India in Nagpur four years ago, the Yorkshireman was finally relieved to nail a three-figure score in these conditions, especially as he had come into this series as the man England hoped would produce the goods in order for them to live with a side who have won 12 of their previous 13 home Tests.
"It was very satisfying purely because it was in Asia, where I'd made starts before," said Root. "There was a lot of talk before the series about me making big runs so it's nice to do it early in the series.
"That pressure always there when you're a senior batsmen in the side and you just have to learn to deal with it. If you can't hack it you're not going to be there for very long.
Get to know England and Lancashire star Haseeb Hameed
"To start this series well is really pleasing and hopefully it'll give me a lot of confidence going into the rest of it."
The 25-year-old fell for 124 when Umesh Yadav was judged by third umpire Rod Tucker to have cleanly held on to a contentious caught-and-bowled chance midway through the evening session as England were reduced to 281-4.
Root initially appeared incandescent at the decision, but admitted afterwards: "I set off walking, it was out, and there's no point arguing about it. I was so disgusted with the shot but having seen the slow-mo replay it does look out."
Hameed, the first teenager to play for England in 19 years, made a positive debut, scoring a composed 31 before being dismissed leg-before by Ashwin.
"He played extremely well and it's nice to see him start his international career with such control," said Root. "He moved his feet beautifully and looked calm and in control of everything he did, which is good for a 19-year-old on debut against one of the best sides in the world."
The Lancashire batsman, Cook's 10th opening partner in four years, survived a drop on 13 at slip off Yadav.
Cook, who had won a big toss before play and opted to bat, also received two lives as India spurned three chances on a morning session that saw them edge ahead in the game after Cook and Duckett fall to the spin of Ravindra Jadeja and Ashwin respectively.
Root and Moeen, though, turned the tables spectacularly to put their side on top.
England's euphoric mood was enhanced by the arrival of James Anderson in India and their all-time leading wicket-taker admitting he was confident of recovering from a shoulder injury in time for next week's second Test at Visakhapatnam.
"It all depends how the week goes," he said. "I'm sure in the next two or three days we'll have an idea of whether that is a possibility or not."