Zak Crawley launched a stunning new-ball assault on Mohammed Siraj on an eventful opening morning in the fourth India-England Test at Ranchi.

The England opener was the beneficiary of an early reprieve on the first day. India debutant Akash Deep bowled Crawley on four, taking his off stump out the ground in the process, only for the TV umpire to call a no-ball after replays showed that Deep had overstepped.

Both new-ball bowlers looked threatening in the opening exchanges, beating the edges of both England openers on a lively surface. By England’s standards they got off to a relatively sedate start, taking 18 runs from the first six overs before Crawley tucked into Siraj in the seventh over of the morning.

Crawley hit Siraj for four consecutive boundaries – three fours and a six – to shift the momentum in England’s favour. The four that started the onslaught was an authoritative straight drive that beat the mid-off fielder on his right shoulder. Siraj followed up with a slightly straighter delivery that was whipped to the left of mid-on; the third four was almost a carbon copy of the previous ball, with Crawley flicking Siraj through the mid-wicket region.

Siraj actually corrected his length well for the final delivery, bringing it back after three fuller deliveries, only for Crawley to advance down the pitch and dispatch Siraj into the stands over the leg-side. England doubled the score over the course of four deliveries.

Despite that over, India will have been the happier team after the first hour of play. While Siraj was taken out of the attack following that 18-run over, India captain Rohit Sharma was rewarded for persisting with Deep. The debutant dismissed Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope over the space of three deliveries to reduce England to 47-2 before the first drinks break of the Test.

You can watch Zak Crawley hit Mohammed Siraj for six over mid-wicket below:

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