England vs India 2018: 3 positive takeaways for India from Edgbaston heartbreak 

Ashwin Spins A Web Away From Home

England v India: Specsavers 1st Test - Day One

Ravi Ashwin was, arguably, India's pick of the bowlers in the first Test match. Whenever he was called upon by the skipper, he delivered with crucial breakthroughs and massive scalps. Ashwin's two dismissals of Alastair Cook (absolute doppelgangers) were definitely the highlight of his 7-wicket match haul.

Ashwin was handed over the cherry as early as the 8th over in the first innings and 2nd over in the 2nd innings. But he displayed that his guile and class was not to be governed by the newness of the Duke ball. Through immaculate discipline and control, he plucked out vital English wickets to keep India in the game throughout the match's time span.

Unlike Kuldeep's wizardry, it was not the matter of not picking Ashwin from the hand and consequently falling prey to his variety. Englishmen were clearly picking his sliders, carroms as well as his conventional off-spinners. But it was the dip and the unswerving control on line and length that deceived batsmen of Cook and Root's quality.

The two Cook dismissals were two extraordinary deliveries: the kind of deliveries that any off-spinner cherishes.

Cook left bamboozled over being dismissed in similar fashion in both innings