India vs England 4th Test Day 1: Bad light ends play early as Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur remain unbeaten
New Delhi: Poor light caused early stumps on the first day of the fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series at Old Trafford, as India were 264/4 in 83 overs, thanks largely to B Sai Sudharsan's elegant 61 – his maiden Test fifty.
Directed back into the playing eleven in the absence of Karun Nair, Sudharsan had a jittery beginning to the innings and was even dropped on 20. However, the left-handed batsman was able to continue in great style by striking seven boundaries in his 151-ball innings on a hard pitch in damp conditions. How did Indian batter perform?
Yashasvi Jaiswal hit a gritty 58 in a 94-run opening stand with KL Rahul, who managed 46. But India's focus will also be firmly on Rishabh Pant's right foot injury, which compelled him to retire hurt on 37. With him being taken for scans after receiving an ugly blow on his foot and swelling becoming monstrous, the extent of his participation could decide the fate of this match.
The final session began on Monday when Sudharsan snicked Jofra Archer over fine leg for four, then pulled him stylishly for a second boundary. Rishabh Pant left everyone agog with a front-foot sweep off Archer for four, then made a courageous bid to reverse-ramp him.
Pant then hit Brydon Carse for six down long-on, and he and Sudharsan completed the fifty of their stand in counter-attack and then India's 200 to its next high point. But on the fourth ball of the 68th over, Pant tried to reverse-sweep Chris Woakes, but under-edged straight onto his right foot. What happened to Rishabh Pant?
While England lost a review of the attempted lbw, Pant was evidently in agony, the swelling on top of the foot resembling a table tennis ball. Eventually, an ambulance buggy that appeared to be a golf cart collected a grimacing Pant from the field, as he retired hurt on 37, after having put on a 72-run partnership with Sudharsan. Who scored his maiden Test fifty?
Sudharsan then scored his first Test fifty in 174 balls with a well-timed drive down the cover off Joe Root for four. But Stokes' short-ball tactic finally paid off as Sudharsan ran out of room and top-edged a pull to long leg, the third time the England captain has sent the left-handed batter back in the series.
With dim light compelling England to have to bowl spinners at both ends, Jadeja and Shardul Thakur, both still unbeaten on 19, hit three boundaries between them prior to stumps on a seesaw day of Test cricket. What are the Brief scores?
India 264/4 in 83 overs (B. Sai Sudharsan 61, Yashasvi Jaiswal 58; Ben Stokes 2-47, Chris Woakes 1-43) vs England
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