INDIA TOUR OF ENGLAND, 2025
Sudharsan struck his maiden Test fifty and shared a 72-run stand with Pant © AFP
England and India traded blows on what was an engrossing opening day of the fourth Test in Manchester. India built a couple of good partnerships and had two half-centurions – Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan – but England made key incisions to maintain balance in the day’s play. However, India faced a significant concern as Rishabh Pant had to be helped off the field in the final session after a blow to his right foot, with the visitors closing at 264/4.
England captain Ben Stokes won his fourth consecutive toss of the series and elected to field, with Liam Dawson replacing Shoaib Bashir as their only change, while India made three alterations bringing in Sudharsan and Shardul Thakur and also handed Anshul Khamboj his maiden Test cap.
The opening session featured an intriguing battle between the bowlers and batters, with Chris Woakes finding Jaiswal’s edge twice in the first over though both chances fell short of the slips. While Jofra Archer bowled economically and Brydon Carse provided probing spells, the Indian openers gradually found their rhythm with boundaries through pulls and drives. Woakes particularly challenged Jaiswal, even breaking his bat handle with a sharp delivery, but the left-hander responded confidently with a driven four. The session concluded with Jaiswal getting boundaries and even an upper-cut six off Stokes, ensuring India finished the morning session without loss.
England found their rhythm in the second session, claiming three crucial wickets through persistent bowling and helpful conditions. Woakes, Dawson and Stokes shared the spoils, dismissing Rahul (46), Jaiswal (58), and Shubman Gill (12) respectively as India reached 149/3 at Tea, adding 71 runs in the session. The breakthrough came early in the session when Rahul attempted to punch a Woakes delivery off the back foot, only to edge it to third slip, ending India’s highest opening partnership of the series at 94.
Jaiswal continued his positive approach, reaching his fifty and surpassing 1000 Test runs against England to become the joint second-quickest Indian to achieve this milestone. However, his promising innings ended when Dawson induced an edge to slip shortly after the spinner’s introduction. The rebuilding efforts of Sai Sudharsan and Gill showed initial promise with boundaries off Dawson, but Stokes struck by trapping Gill lbw as the Indian captain shouldered arms and also cost his team a review. Sudharsan, who survived a dropped catch by Jamie Smith and a near-miss to leg slip, partnered with Rishabh Pant to see India through to Tea without further damage.
England pacers targetted Sudharsan with short-pitched deliveries at the start of the third session but the No.3 batter was up to the task, even pulling Archer for a couple of boundaries. Pant then decided to go on the attack, executing a sweep off Archer before dispatching a Carse delivery over long-on for a six, getting past 1000 Test runs in England in the process. The fourth wicket pair took their stand past 50 and helped India past 200, even as England were given an official warning for taking too much time between overs.
Pant sliced one off the outer half of the bat for a four off Dawson before surviving an England review when he was struck on the boot by Woakes attempting a reverse-sweep. But Pant was in a lot of pain with a swelling on his right foot and was eventually helped off the field by an ambulance cart. Sudharsan then got to his fifty with a boundary through cover off Root, while Ravindra Jadeja edged Stokes for a four to get off the mark. A couple of more boundaries followed – a cut by Sudharsan off Stokes, followed by Jadeja hitting Root straight down the ground.
Stokes’ persistence with short-pitched ball to Sudharsan finally paid off when the left-hander top-edged a pull to fine leg, getting out to the England captain for the third time this series. Thakur walked out ahead of Washington Sundar and punched a Stokes delivery past point for a four. During another Stokes over, with the second new ball around the corner, Jadeja appeared to point out that the light didn’t appear great, and the umpires were also seen having a discussion. England continued with spin even after the second new ball was due, and Jadeja struck a four off Dawson before the players left the field for poor light with less than 10 minutes left for Stumps, with 115 runs coming in the last session.
Brief scores: India 264/4 (Sai Sudharsan 61, Yashasvi Jaiswal 58, KL Rahul 46; Ben Stokes 2-47, Chris Woakes 1-43, Liam Dawson 1-45) vs England.
© Cricbuzz
