Manchester [UK], July 25 : Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri slammed Team India for their poor, wicketless session one on day three of the fourth Manchester Test, saying that the match looks "flat and bleak" for the visitors as the hosts went about their job in a "professional manner."
A century partnership between Ollie Pope and Joe Root brought England within touching distance of India's first innings score as the Three Lions finished the first session with a score in excess of 300 runs on day three of the fourth Manchester Test on Friday. At the end of the first session, England was 332/2, with Pope (70*) and Root (63*) unbeaten. They trail by 26 runs.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Shastri said, "It looks flat and bleak for India, because England have had the perfect session.
"They went about their job in a professional manner; they knew what they had to do, they had to negate (Jasprit) Bumrah in the first half an hour of play, deny India a wicket, and they, you know, with the attack India have, that things would go flat," he added.
Shastri said that with the wicket being flattened and the sun being out, the conditions look good for batting, and it is "hard work" for India.
"It is a great chance now for England to bat the whole day and bat India out of this contest," he concluded.
At the start of the first session, England was 225/2, with Pope (20*) and Root (11*) unbeaten.
England started off the day with a positive intent, with Mohammed Siraj leaking some runs and India missing out on a run-out chance to remove Root. Eventually, the duo reached their 50-run partnership.
With a fine shot for four against Bumrah, Pope helped England reach the 250-run mark in 54.5 overs, as he attempted a fine pull shot through backwards square leg, finding a gap in the leg side.
After his 31st run, Root overtook Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis to become the third-highest run-getter of all time.
The relentless grind of Indian pacers Bumrah, Siraj and Anshul Kamboj did not pay off as Root-Pope continued to amass runs at a solid tempo. Pope was back among the runs, bringing up his fifty in 93 balls, with six fours.
Kamnoj missed a chance to dismiss Pope in the 63rd over as wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel could not catch the ball as Pope tried to guide the ball through the third man region. It was a tough chance, but a missed opportunity nonetheless.
A beautiful straight drive by Pope on a full-length delivery by Kamboj helped the duo reach their 100-run partnership in 172 balls.
England reached the 300-run mark in 66.5 overs.
Root also reached his half-century in 99 balls, with six fours. The duo continued to fine runs against the spin pair of Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar.
Root and Pope made sure England finished the session on a high.
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