Crawley and Duckett run riot before India hit back in fourth Test
England were 225-2 at stumps on the second day at Old Trafford, a deficit of 133 runs, after they dismissed India for 358, with captain Ben Stokes taking five wickets and an injured Rishabh Pant making a gutsy fifty for the tourists.
The hosts are 2-1 up in this five-match series, and a win in Manchester would see England take an unassailable lead ahead of next week's finale at the Oval.
Crawley (84) and Duckett (94) shared an opening stand of 166 – just the duo's fifth century partnership in 53 Test innings together.
'We were happy to get India 358 all out,' Crawley told Sky Sports. 'We are happy with the state of the game right now. Batting last could be tricky.'
Crawley, reflecting on his partnership with Duckett, added: 'I just try to stay with him and hit a few nice drives! He's the leader of that partnership and a phenomenal player.'
The inconsistent Crawley, who 2005 Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan has said is 'lucky' to have won so many England caps, played some trademark stylish shots but also survived a confident lbw appeal on 26 after offering no stroke to Mohammed Siraj.
Crawley, however, fell frustratingly short of what would have been just his sixth century in 58 Tests – and second in Manchester following a majestic 189 against Australia two years ago – when he nicked left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja low to KL Rahul at slip.
India suffer Pant setback in fourth Test against England
It was the end of a sparkling 113-ball stint featuring 13 fours and a superb straight six off Jadeja, with Crawley's innings a reminder of why England think he will do well on the firm pitches they are likely to encounter in Australia when they bid to regain the Ashes in a 2025/26 tour.
'There is a bit more pace and carry here (Old Trafford) which suits my game,' said Crawley.
Duckett was no slouch either, taking three fours off debutant Anshul Kamboj's first over in Test cricket.
Kamboj was only included after fellow paceman Nitish Kumar Reddy was ruled out due to a knee injury suffered during England's dramatic 22-run win at Lord's last week.
But Duckett also flicked Jasprit Bumrah, the world's top-ranked Test bowler, off his pads for two fours in three balls.
The left-hander was eyeing his second hundred of the series, following a brilliant 149 in England's win in the first Test at Headingley, when he edged an intended cut off Kamboj to reserve wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, deputising for the injured Pant.
As Kamboj celebrated his maiden Test wicket, a crestfallen Duckett trudged off having faced exactly 100 balls, including 13 fours, with England 197-2.
Battling Pant
Pant returned to action earlier Thursday after a severe foot injury.
The vice-captain had to retire hurt on 37 during Wednesday's opening day when struck a painful blow attempting an audacious reverse-sweep off a Chris Woakes yorker.
After Shardul Thakur fell to Stokes for 41, Pant slowly made his way out into the middle.
The left-hander's movements were restricted but runners are no longer allowed in international cricket.
However, there was nothing Pant could do as Stokes cleaned up the tail at the other end.
When Kamboj was caught behind off the England skipper for a duck it meant Stokes had his first five-wicket haul in a Test since a career-best 6-22 against the West Indies at Lord's in 2017.
The all-rounder finished with 5-72 in 24 overs, a fine return after his future as a lively medium-pacer was threatened by repeated hamstring trouble.
Pant reached his half-century in 69 balls, including a pulled six off Jofra Archer despite his lack of mobility, before he was bowled by the express quick for 54.
Stokes went against history by sending India into bat on Wednesday. No team winning the toss and bowling first has ever won a Test at Old Trafford.
But India need to make history of their own if they are to maintain hopes of a series victory as they have never won a Test at Old Trafford.
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Pakistani fan explains why he refused to switch from England-India Test to Pakistan match It's a typical day at the office. My partner walks in, one phone in his ear and the other on speaker in his hand, a little excited. 'Yaar, Pakistan is winning. Switch the channel. Put it on.' I glance at the screen. Ben Duckett has just bossed the ball to the fence. Crisp, effortless, dismissive. He has scored his fifty at under a run-a-ball. Crawley isn't far behind. England is taking the game to India at full throttle. I look back at my partner and shake my head. 'Look at the difference in the quality of cricket.' Because what's unfolding on the screen is not just a Test match. It is Test cricket at its very best. Electric, daring, and deeply competitive. This entire England-India series has been captivating and constantly playing on my screen. To give context: India dominated nine of the first ten days of this five-match series. And yet, somehow, after ten days of hard cricket, the scoreline read 1–1. Then came a thrilling third Test. A match that swung like a pendulum. And England edged ahead, 2–1. Now, in a must-win fourth Test, India began strongly, as they usually do. Earlier, when Pant walked out to bat with a broken foot, I mumbled to a colleague, 'Pant will score today and become a hero. We will have to watch this video forever, like Anil Kumble bowling with a bandaged head.' But England is now Bazballing India, with Duckett and Crawley taking the attack to Bumrah and his men, playing fearless cricket. Meanwhile, at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, Pakistan was winning a dead rubber. 2–0 down already in the series, playing for pride. Bangladesh, on the other hand, seemed to be playing for nothing. Just another day where Bangladesh looked like Pakistan. And, on other days, Pakistan looked like Bangladesh. It is the curse of the subcontinent. It is the poison in the blood we share. India isn't immune either. They've had sessions. Brutal ones. Where the tail collapses without a fight. Where hours of hard work evaporate in a single spell. All that talent, all that depth, undone by a lack of discipline and temperament. Just like us. But the stark difference in the quality of cricket was vivid. From batting to fielding, from decision-making to execution, India vs England was many notches above Pakistan vs Bangladesh. The Pakistan-Bangladesh games had poor wickets, average bowlers, lazy batting, uninspiring field placements of men who didn't seem to belong at top-level international cricket. It was, at times, unwatchable. In contrast, the England-India series was a masterclass. Joe Root. Quietly breaking records. Moving past Kallis, Ponting, and others. Now second only to Tendulkar. Yes, Tendulkar's hallowed record of the highest run-getter in Tests is in sight. Shubman Gill putting the English bowlers to the sword. Bumrah's magic and Archer's return. After a lifetime of watching Pakistan cricket, a realisation has dawned: the second-most watched team in our lives has undoubtedly been India. Not necessarily out of choice, but out of access and circumstance. It began in the early 90s. In 1991, Prime Sports first entered our homes. Then came Star Sports, which absorbed Prime, followed by an endless stream of Indian sports content on our screens. Suddenly, Indian cricket was everywhere. All day, every day. But it wasn't just television. There's something deeper. Whenever we travel, work or study abroad, somehow, we find ourselves drawn to each other. Pakistanis and Indians form the closest bonds. Roommates, friends, partners. We speak the same way, we laugh the same way, we argue about movies and cricket and food—but always from the same cultural starting point. And yet, deep inside, I've always grown up wanting India to lose. That's instinct. That's the rivalry. They are the 'enemy team,' and there's a tribal satisfaction in watching them falter. I find myself asking a strange question. Why am I supporting England? The same England that colonised us. The same England that looted this subcontinent, divided us, and ensured we were treated as second-class citizens in our own lands. Why is it that when India is playing England, so many of us are instinctively cheering for England? Logically, we are far closer to India than we are to England. We speak the same languages. We share food, traditions, and trauma. But emotionally, that line in our hearts remains. My Indian friend tells me I should support India over England. But when Rahul gets out early, or when Bumrah is hammered down the ground, there is that flicker of satisfaction. I wanted the series to be squared and go into the final with everything at stake. But India will probably be 3–1 down when this piece is published. The final game will be a dead rubber. Just like Pakistan-Bangladesh. 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