R Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav share beautiful on-field moment to decide who takes the match ball

After a morning marked by ominous clouds looming over Dharamsala’s HPCA Stadium, England's decision to bat first after winning the toss provided an opening for India, thanks to the efforts of Kuldeep Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin in the fifth Test. Despite a solid 64-run partnership between the English openers and a spirited 79 by Zak Crawley, Ashwin and Kuldeep combined to claim nine wickets, restricting the visitors to a total of 218.

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Ashwin and Kuldeep share beautiful on-field moment

In his 100th Test match, Ravichandran Ashwin showcased his class by clinching four wickets, surpassing Tom Hartley as the leading wicket-taker in the series with a tally of 21 scalps. However, it was Kuldeep Yadav who stole the show with a five-wicket haul, his first of the series. Kuldeep picked up the wickets when India needed them the most. 

Following England's dismissal, a heartwarming exchange unfolded between the two Indian spinners on their way back to the dressing room. In a heartfelt gesture, Kuldeep Yadav handed the ball to R Ashwin to commemorate his four-wicket haul on his milestone 100th Test appearance. Despite Ashwin's insistence, Kuldeep initially declined to keep the ball but eventually relented, with Ashwin persuading him to raise the match ball as they made their way back to the dressing room. The heartwarming moment was captured on camera. 

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Day 1 of the fifth Test between India and England finished with the hosts scoring 135/1 in 30 overs. Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a half-century each in the game before the latter was dismissed by Shoaib Bashir. Rohit and Shubman Gill ended the day with scores of 26* and 52*. India trail by 83 runs at stumps on Day 1.