Manchester [UK], July 26 : After an early jolt just before Lunch, India found stability in the second session of Day 4, thanks to a composed partnership between skipper Shubman Gill and opener KL Rahul. The duo ensured there were no further hiccups as India went into Tea at 86/2 in the Manchester Test on Saturday
Gill, who looked in fine touch, notched up his eighth Test fifty and fourth against England off 77 deliveries. His innings has been laced with eight delightful boundaries, showing great control and intent at the crease. He is batting on 52 off 80 deliveries.
At the other end, KL Rahul played the perfect support role, remaining unbeaten on 30 with two boundaries to his name. The pair added 85 runs in 26 overs during the post-lunch session, ensuring India didn't lose a single wicket, a much-needed relief after losing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan earlier in the day.
India reached their 50 in 15.2 overs, but still trailing by 225 runs. With the final session to come, both batters will look to carry on, and end the day on a high for India.
In the first session, a stellar batting performance from England skipper Ben Stokes helped The Three Lions to finish their first innings on 669, leading by 311 runs against India in the fourth test.
This is England's second-highest total against India, only behind 710/7d at Edgbaston, 2011. India had a poor start to their second innings, losing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan in the first over for zero runs each. India were 1/2 at Lunch with KL Rahul 1* and Shubman Gill 0* unbeaten on the crease.
England started Day 4 on day at 544/7, leading by 186 runs with Ben Stokes (77) and Liam Dawson (21*) unbeaten on the crease. Jasprit Bumrah gave an early blow to the hosts as he removed Dawson 26 in the 140th over and Brydon Carse, joined England skipper on the crease.
In the 146th over, Stokes smashed a four to bring up his 14th Test century. He bagged a five-wicket haul while bowling in the first innings, after a long wait of eight years, and now he brings up a Test century in the same match. A ton in the longest format, almost three years after.
He also became the fifth captain to have a 100 and a 5-fer in the same Test. England went past 600 runs in the 148th over after Carse slammed a four off Mohammed Siraj. Stokes also completed 7000 runs in the longest format.
After smashing Indian bowlers all over the park Stokes was removed by Ravindra Jadeja for 141 in the 156th over; in his following over Jadeja removed Carse before he slammed 47 runs off 54 balls. England finished their first innings on 669, leading by 311 runs.
Four Indian bowlers conceded 100-plus in this innings, the 25th such instance for them in Tests. This had previously occurred more than a decade ago, on the 2014/15 tour of Australia, in three consecutive Tests: Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney, respectively.
For just the seventh time in Test cricket history, a team has achieved a 300-plus first innings lead after conceding 350-plus while bowling first. Their previous highest lead after conceding 350-plus in the first innings of the Test was 267 against Pakistan in Multan last year (823/7d in response to 556).
Brief Scores: India 358 & 86/2 (Shubman Gill 52*, KL Rahul 30*; Chris Woakes 2/25) vs England 669 (Joe Root 150, Ben Stokes 141, Ravindra Jadeja 4/143)
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