In a surprising and somewhat unusual incident that unfolded just before the commencement of India's first innings in the inaugural Test match against England at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad, Indian captain Rohit Sharma found himself at the center of an unexpected encounter involving an ardent cricket fan.
As the stage was set for the highly-anticipated Test match, a cricket enthusiast managed to breach the tight security perimeter that is meticulously maintained to safeguard the players and uphold the sanctity of the game. What made this fan's intrusion even more remarkable was his attire – he was donning the jersey of none other than Virat Kohli.
With remarkable audacity, the fan successfully approached Rohit Sharma. As he reached Rohit, the fan displayed a gesture that underscored his profound reverence and admiration for the Indian skipper – he touched Rohit's feet. In Indian culture, touching a person's feet is a gesture of the highest respect, typically reserved for revered figures and elders. It symbolizes the fan's recognition of Rohit's greatness as a cricketer and his deep admiration for his leadership.
Promptly responding to the situation, security personnel and other staff members swiftly intervened, ensuring the removal of the fan from the field.
The Indian skipper seemed calm during the whole situation before coming out to bat. India had bowled out England for 246 runs in the first innings after the visitors won the toss and opted to bat first.
Captain Ben Stokes applied the famous Bazball approach to hit 70 off 88 balls with 3 sixes and six fours while Jonny Bairstow and opener Ben Duckett contributed with 37 and 35 runs, respectively.
Ashwin and Jadeja, meanwhile, with 6 wickets during the innings, became the most successful Indian bowling pair in Test cricket.
Both England and India are missing key players in this match in Harry Brook and Virat Kohli, respectively. Brook pulled out of the entire tour while Kohli will miss the first two Tests due to personal reasons.