International cricket is back in India with the inception of the four-match Test series against the touring England side. This means that the confidence with which the Men in Blue play at home has also returned. 

It has also boosted the ability of the analysts and fans to kick-start the sledging game against the visiting rivals and maybe even throw some shade towards the Australian side whom they'd recently conquered, for good measure.

Former Indian batsman and the freshest meme-master of the cricket fraternity, Wasim Jaffer took his shot against the Englishmen a day ahead of the first red-ball match with the following tweet.

#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/blqtWFxkyd

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) February 4, 2021

While directed towards England skipper Joe Root, Jaffer’s tweet is an obvious jab at the captain of the Australian side in the longest format of the game, Time Paine who went overboard in the trash-talking department during the third Test in Sydney.

“Can’t wait to see you in Gabba, Ash,” Paine had said to Ravichandran Ashwin during the second innings of the SCG Test.

What happened next was absolutely unfathomable for most cricket viewers from all over the world and not just Paine.

Despite most of the big names of the team being ruled out of the series due to personal reasons or injuries, the Men in Blue spearheaded by Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill were able to win the match at the Brisbane Cricket Ground, end the 33-year old undefeated Test-cricket record of the Aussies at the venue and retail for Border-Gavaskar Trophy in a heroic fashion.

Here’s how Jaffer’s fans reacted to the tweet:

But paine actually said pic.twitter.com/rpL5G35eJD

— Bond__James Bond (@MoviesAssemble) February 4, 2021

Tim Paine to his team mates after losing Gabba Test pic.twitter.com/HzLWtIPBlV

— Akshay (@AkshayCric97) February 4, 2021

Joe root after listening words from Paine: pic.twitter.com/IpmGhTqZUv

— बनारसी बाबू (@BanarasAurMai) February 4, 2021

One bhakra to another #INDvENG #INDvsENG pic.twitter.com/iEi2rYYgo2

— THE ROCKSTAR (@VivJonty) February 4, 2021

Day one of the first Test match at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai saw some great work by the hosting side. Even though a couple of catch opportunities were dropped by wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant and a few misfield led to some extra runs leaking out, the first session witnessed two of England’s top batsmen getting dismissed early.

First it was Rory Burns who was tricked by Ashwin to try a cheeky shot which backfired on the hitter as the ball connected with the top-edge, his hand and floated up in the air for a simple catch into the hands of Pant.

Then came Jasprit Bumrah, playing his first international Test at home, who stunned Dan Lawrance with a blistering delivery for a Leg-Before-Wicket appeal which was so evident that umpire Nitin Menon didn’t have to think twice before raising his finger. 

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