England stretched their lead with a brilliant knock from Joe Root and maintained control of proceedings at the end of Day 3 of the fourth Test in Manchester. Manjrekar and Jonathan Trott discussed India’s bowling concerns, Jasprit Bumrah’s lone battle, and Root’s developing strategy, as well as how Day 4 might play out.
On Day 3, Manjrekar assessed India’s issues and focused on Shubman Gill’s leadership under difficult circumstances. The former batsman believes Gill and India’s hands are constrained due to the large list of absentees, especially heading into the fourth Test. India will be without Akash Deep (groin) in Manchester, and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out for the rest of the series due to a knee injury.
The visitors have also had to deal with Rishabh Pant’s reduced availability after he injured his toe and was unable to keep wickets in Manchester. Pant’s fitness difficulties surfaced in the third Test at Lord’s, as India relied on Dhruv Jurel’s glovework on both occasions. Pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj were also hampered during the fourth game, though not to the point where they were unable to participate.
“Shubman Gill is on his first journey to England as a batter, and he has also been thrown into the deep end as captain, which carries enormous responsibility. He performed admirably in the first three Tests, but given the challenges and resources, this game appears to be a step too much for India. India’s bowling was affected by Akash Deep’s absence; he took 10 wickets in the last Test but was ruled out due to injury. “Anshul Kamboj came in but struggled to meet the demands of Test cricket,” Manjrekar told JioHotsar.
“One area where India may have improved is their bowling combination; seamers bowled roughly 82 overs for three wickets, while spinners took four wickets in 52 overs. That is something they will need to reconsider. The star, however, was Mohammed Siraj – it was fantastic to see him bowl with such spirit to the end,” he continued.
Bumrah’s areas were pretty good; he was just unlucky: Jonathon Trott
Trott evaluated Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling performance and highlighted the lack of pressure from the other end as a key factor.
“Bumrah’s areas were pretty good, and his economy reflects that — he was just a bit unlucky. But the bigger issue is pressure from both ends. Bumrah benefits massively when there’s support at the other end, and that wasn’t the case today. When you are slightly under par as a bowling unit — like India were — control from both ends becomes crucial. I’d have liked to see Bumrah bowl in tandem with spin from the other end — either Washington or Kuldeep — to build pressure. But with runs constantly leaking from the opposite side, England’s batters didn’t feel the kind of pressure we have seen Bumrah create in the past.”
Trott also broke down Joe Root’s composed 150-run innings, crediting the England batter’s maturity and evolved approach.
Joe Root has set Bazball experimentations aside: Jonathon Trott
“Joe Root’s method is just so solid — you don’t see him shift gears dramatically. When Bazball first came in, he experimented a bit — ramping seamers, playing reverse scoops — but he’s set that aside now. He’s found a balanced approach, maybe carried over a few elements from that expansive phase, but overall, he sticks to what works best for him. When the opposition — like India today — aren’t challenging enough, Root digs in, takes guard, and mentally decides to bat through the day. He forces you to produce a top-quality delivery to dismiss him — and India simply couldn’t do that today. Another 150 to his name, and as I said earlier, he’s mastering his craft more with every knock.”
India won’t be thinking of a draw: Sanjay Manrekar
Manjrekar assessed the Day 4 outlook at Old Trafford, highlighting India’s intent and key English bowling threats.
“India won’t be thinking of a draw — they’ll be hoping for the sun to be out so they can pile on runs and put pressure back on England. The surface is showing signs of uneven bounce, so it could get tricky for some bowlers. Chris Woakes may not be as effective, but Ben Stokes will still need to bowl a lot of overs. Jofra Archer’s tall action and ability to target the stumps could prove dangerous, especially if the ball stays low. And watch out for Liam Dawson — not necessarily for unplayable deliveries, but he’ll play a crucial role in England’s bowling strategy.”
India
