Gill & Rahul Resist England Push For Victory

Fourth Rothesay Test, Emirates Old Trafford (day 4 of five)

India 358 (Sudharsan 61; Stokes 5-72) & 174-2 (Rahul 87*, Gill 78*)

England 669 (Root 150, Stokes 141; Jadeja 4-134)

India are 137 runs behind

Scorecard

England still person activity to do successful bid to triumph nan 4th Test aft immoderate stoic India guidance connected nan 4th time astatine Old Trafford.

India closed connected 165-2, 137 down acknowledgment to a rearguard business betwixt KL Rahul and Shubman Gill.

The visitors had been 0-2, but Rahul and skipper Gill blunted an England onslaught shorn of Ben Stokes, who did not vessel each day.

Skipper Stokes earlier completed his first 100 successful much than 2 years to assistance England to 669, their third-highest full successful a location Test.

Stokes' 141, to spell pinch his 5-72 successful nan India first innings, made him only nan 4th England man to people a period and return a five-wicket haul successful nan aforesaid Test.

Giving up a shortage of 311 runs, India were successful threat of being steamrollered erstwhile Chris Woakes removed Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan successful consecutive deliveries successful nan first complete of nan 2nd innings.

From 0-2, Rahul and Gill came together for a unbroken guidelines of 174 crossed almost 63 overs. Gill has 78, Rahul has 87.

Without nan power of talismanic all-rounder Stokes, England were bereft of penetration erstwhile nan shot mislaid its hardness and transportation went to sleep.

The location broadside are still immense favourites for nan triumph that would clinch nan series, but India are clinging to dream of escaping Manchester pinch a draw.

Given his importance, wounded history and nan stellar summertime he is enjoying, immoderate uncertainty complete Stokes' fittingness is ever a worry.

After bowling 24 overs successful nan India first innings, he was forced to discontinue wounded pinch cramp during his batting connected Friday, earlier resuming later nan aforesaid day.

England gave nary denotation of an wounded concern, but Stokes' absence from nan onslaught connected Saturday day cannot person been tactical. It could beryllium that he was simply taking attraction aft his anterior exertions successful this match, and pinch nan 5th Test astatine The Oval opening connected Thursday.

When he resumed connected 77 retired of England's 544-7, Stokes looked sprightly successful pinching a azygous successful nan first complete of nan day, beating Anshul Kamboj's nonstop deed from mid-on.

Stokes' past Test ton was a riotous protestation against Jonny Bairstow's stumping successful nan 2nd Ashes Test of 2023.

This was a controlled, wished effort. The left-hander spent six balls connected 99 earlier tickling Jasprit Bumrah very good for four. Stokes' celebration, a trademark salute to his precocious begetter Ged, was prolonged and followed by a 2nd look to nan sky.

Stokes' century, his 14th successful Tests, came from 164 deliveries. He walloped 38 runs from nan adjacent 33 deliveries he faced, including a mixed 3 sixes disconnected spinners Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja.

Brydon Carse, 1 of nan champion number 10s England person ever had, joined successful nan mayhem. Their business of 95 came astatine almost a tally a ball, flattening nan demoralised Indians.

Stokes was chasing a 2nd successive six disconnected Jadeja erstwhile he holed retired to long-on. He near to a rapturous ovation and paused to soak it in.

His only engagement for nan remainder of nan time was marshalling his squad successful nan field, often hunched complete pinch hands connected knees.

This had each nan ingredients of a scary show for India. Outplayed for nan first 3 days, they spent much than 157 overs successful nan section past came retired to bat miles behind. The shot has started to support low, particularly from nan James Anderson End, and nan clouds gathered to create cleanable bowling conditions.

Woakes has endured a reliable series, yet nan business was tailor-made for his style of bowling. With his 4th delivery, he recovered activity distant from left-hander Jaiswal, who was good caught by juggling first-slip Joe Root.

From nan adjacent ball, Sudharsan tried to retreat nan bat but could only deflect to Harry Brook astatine 2nd slip. Old Trafford was rocking, India were teetering.

That England did not return different wicket crossed nan last 2 sessions of nan time is down to nan quality, determination and attraction of opener Rahul and skipper Gill.

This was nan 4th clip successful arsenic galore Tests Rahul has passed 50. His defence was immaculate arsenic he played nan silent partner. His half-century came from 141 balls and included only 3 fours.

Gill was prolific crossed nan first 2 Tests, past mislaid his measurement successful nan tetchy 3rd astatine Lord's. This was an enactment of defiance erstwhile his squad needed it most.

He survived Woakes' hat-trick shot and 2 immense lbw appeals from a begging Jofra Archer, past eased into handsome driving. He gave 1 chance, pushing astatine a wide 1 from Carse erstwhile connected 45. It burst done nan hands of a flying Liam Dawson astatine point.

India ate up time. England struggled to get thing from nan surface. Stokes played pinch nan field. Bowlers messed pinch their angles and lengths. Dawson was tidy without threatening, Root bowled and Stokes did not. Jamie Smith stood up to Woakes. The Old Trafford Party Stand made its ain entertainment.

The visitors are a agelong measurement from redeeming this match, particularly pinch questions complete nan engagement of injured Rishabh Pant, but they person much dream than they did astatine lunchtime.