Superb India Defy England To Keep Series Alive

Fourth Rothesay Test, Emirates Old Trafford (day 5 of five)

India 358 (Sudharsan 61; Stokes 5-72) & 425-4 (Jadeja 107*, Gill 103, Sundar 101*)

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

Match drawn, England lead bid 2-1

Scorecard

India pulled disconnected 1 of nan awesome rearguards to defy England, gain a tie successful nan 4th Test astatine Old Trafford and support nan bid alive.

The visitors batted much than 5 sessions successful their 2nd innings to scope 425-4 erstwhile nan players shook hands. They had a lead of 114 erstwhile nan tie was agreed pinch 10 overs of nan lucifer remaining.

England put successful a mammoth effort connected nan 5th time but were yet disappointment by India's determination, a transportation that only had sporadic spells of life and a important Joe Root drop.

As ever, nan location broadside looked to skipper Ben Stokes for inspiration. After not bowling connected time four, Stokes urged his vulnerable assemblage done 2 spells, and had KL Rahul lbw for 90 astatine nan opening of nan day.

When Shubman Gill wearily poked astatine Jofra Archer's spell pinch nan 2nd caller ball, nan prolific skipper was retired for 103 and England had an opportunity. India were 4 wickets down, 89 down and had successful excess of 2 sessions to bat.

But Root put down Ravindra Jadeja from nan first shot he faced. England hardly sewage different chance arsenic Jadeja and Washington Sundar each made centuries. Their guidelines was an unbroken 203.

It meant England had to make do pinch only a 2nd tie successful 40 Tests since Stokes became skipper successful 2022, some connected this ground, pursuing nan rain-affected stalemate pinch Australia successful 2023. All 4 of Lancashire's County Championship matches connected this crushed this twelvemonth person besides been drawn.

England still lead 2-1 and someway some teams must regroup for nan last Test astatine The Oval, opening connected Thursday.

Of main interest among immoderate weary England bodies will beryllium Stokes, who seemed to beryllium emotion enarthrosis and precocious limb problems passim nan day.

India will beryllium without wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant because of a fractured foot. The visitors besides person determination to make connected cardinal gait bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who has played nan maximum 3 Tests they stated he would earlier nan series.

The tense, fluctuating and unpredictable quality of this bid has had echoes of nan epic 2005 Ashes. How apt that this crushed has produced nan aforesaid consequence - an improbable tie – 20 years on.

On that occasion, Australia held connected 9 wickets down connected a celebrated time erstwhile thousands of spectators were locked retired of Old Trafford.

This was not arsenic raucous aliases melodramatic arsenic 2 decades ago, but India's flight is nary little remarkable.

Before luncheon connected Saturday they were 0-2, 311 down and each but beaten. That they spell to The Oval pinch a chance of squaring nan bid says truthful overmuch astir their spirit, particularly skipper Gill, who is having a magnificent summer.

Quite what authorities these teams will beryllium successful erstwhile they get successful southbound London is anyone's guess. Apart from nan Stokes worry, England whitethorn request to refresh each 3 of their master seamers

India will bring successful Dhruv Jurel for Pant, past person their ain decisions connected nan accelerated bowlers. In position of fatigue, nan visitors astatine slightest person nan use of being nan squad that has been batting for astir of nan past 2 days, while England person been successful nan section for 222 overs much crossed nan series.

England were hoping this would nan time they would clinch nan bid and complete nan first portion of what they dream is simply a glorious double this year. Instead, they still person activity to do. It is fitting this awesome title gets a unrecorded finale.

Ever nan centre of attention, this lucifer has been astir what Stokes has and has not done. After taking 5-72 successful India's first innings and 141 pinch nan bat, he became only nan 4th England man to return 5 wickets successful an innings and people a period successful nan aforesaid Test.

Given his wounded history, location was interest erstwhile he did not vessel connected time four, but nan skipper was successful nan onslaught consecutive distant connected Sunday, tearing into a spell that regularly extracted uneven bounce from nan wearing surface.

Stokes was perpetually holding parts of his body, yet nan skidding in-swinger to Rahul was palpably leg-before. Stokes besides had Gill dropped by Ollie Pope connected 81, earlier Archer moved done nan gears to person nan skipper caught behind.

Then came nan defining drop. Jadeja hung retired nan bat, Root leapt astatine first slip, juggled and shelled nan chance. Archer collapsed to nan turf successful disappointment and hardly recovered for nan remainder of nan day.

Brydon Carse bowled only 1 spell and Chris Woakes was neutered. Left-arm spinner Dawson, successful for nan injured Shoaib Bashir, was predictably tidy and innocuous, going wicketless successful his 47 overs.

Throughout this lucifer and nan series, nan only England bowler that has looked apt to conjure thing retired of nan aged shot has been Stokes. He forced himself done 1 much spell successful nan afternoon, to nary avail.

At nan opening of this game, Stokes looked to subordinate a historical trend. No skipper that had won nan flip and chosen to section connected this crushed had gone connected to triumph nan Test. At nan end, contempt his efforts, Stokes' England joined nan 11 winless teams that went earlier them.

In his first bid arsenic captain, Gill has proved activity tin return his batting to caller heights. His 722 runs are nan astir by an Indian successful a azygous series.

From 144-2 overnight, 137 behind, India had to bat each of Sunday to escape. Gill, resuming connected 78, bore nan brunt of Stokes' greeting tear. His thrust to Stokes' 10th shot of nan time was parried by Pope then, connected 90, Gill was struck connected nan helmet by 1 that reared from backmost of a length.

Stokes astatine slightest ended nan Gill-Rahul business connected 184 earlier giving measurement to Woakes, whom Gill pushed to constituent for nan azygous that took him to a period from 228 balls. Three runs later, Gill edged Archer.

In nan absence of Pant, Sundar was promoted to number 5 and picked up nan baton pinch Jadeja, who almost pulled disconnected a stunning triumph successful nan 3rd Test astatine Lord's. England tried everything, including plentifulness of chat aimed astatine Sundar, but nan fifth-wicket brace were unmoved for nan remainder of nan day.

Both were beardown successful defence. Jadeja played sporadic consecutive drives, Washington pulled Stokes for six. Dawson caused nan left-handers problems retired of nan rough, England tried fielders successful each parts of Manchester, each without success. India were successful nan lead earlier tea.

A tie could person been agreed pinch 15 overs to go, but India wanted to play connected for nan milestones of Washington and Jadeja, overmuch to England's frustration. In scenes of precocious farce, Harry Brook lobbed up immoderate rotation for Jadeja to complete his 5th Test ton and Washington his first.