Joe Root was patient in his approach on Friday, but Zak Crawley wasn't. With the Indian bowlers creating early pressure, the England opener counterpunched with a run-a-ball innings. He had his reasons though.

"It was nipping a lot and nipping quickly," Crawley said at the media conference after the end of the day's play.

"I was trying to bat normally at the start and it was seaming, too difficult. I felt there was one with my name on it. So we had to throw a couple of punches back, and myself and Johnny (Bairstow) did that really well actually. Then it got easier, but it was tricky against the spin for the middle-order boys, and they judged that really well. They read the situation and played unbelievably," the 26-year-old Crawley said in his assessment of the Ranchi wicket.

Crawley made 42 with six fours and a six after he got an early reprieve, when a no-ball saved him even after Akash Deep had rattled his stumps.

He also said that India's field placements made it difficult for England to score. "It was tricky with the fields they were setting, but we just always talk about being present in the moment, playing the situation, and the situation required a bit more caution with that kind of pitch and the variable bounce."