A display of tenacity came when Indian vice-captain Rishabh Pant, nursing a fractured right foot, walked out to bat to a rousing ovation. The rain prompted an early lunch with India at 321/6.
On Day 2 of the fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Old Trafford in Manchester, Ben Stokes and his team maintained tight control. After India finished their innings for 358, the English top order responded magnificently, closing the day at 225/2, behind by only 133 runs, with vice-captain Ollie Pope and Joe Root in the middle to restart play on the third day.
India resumed their first innings this morning, with Shardul Thakur and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease. However, the momentum immediately changed in England’s favour as Jofra Archer struck early, removing Jadeja and taking his sixth wicket of the series, all of whom have been left-handers.
Thakur was joined by Washington Sundar, and despite some difficult seam movement from the English pacers during the opening hour, the duo managed to put up a 48-run partnership. Ben Stokes eventually broke through the stand, continuing his impressive form with the ball. India’s lower-order resilience has remained consistent, averaging 42 runs per partnership since the first Test.
Sundar was bowled by Stokes with a hook shot in the second session, and he went on to take his 15th wicket of the series, matching his career high from the 2013 Ashes. He also became only the fourth player in Test history to score ten hundreds and five fifers, with debutant Anshul Kamboj taking his fifth wicket of the innings.
Despite his injuries, Rishabh Pant fought courageously to reach a half-century,
equalling the record for most sixes by an Indian in Test cricket and creating a new record for most runs by an Indian wicketkeeper in an English Test series. He was eventually bowled for 54 by Archer, and the visitors were dismissed for a respectable 358 after 114.1 overs.
In response, England’s openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett showed positive intent and dominated the Indian spinners. India’s seamers routinely bowled into Duckett’s pads, allowing him to score easily down the leg side. By tea, The Three Lions were cruising at 77 without losing.
Both openers surpassed their fifties with strong stroke play. England scored 24 boundaries in just 32 overs. The duo established a 166-run opening stand before Jadeja dismissed Crawley for India’s first breakthrough. Duckett, on his way to a century, was removed for 94 by rookie Anshul Kamboj. The game will resume with England on 225/2, with Pope (20*) and Root (11*) at the crease.
India
