India closing in on battling draw as England fail to make further inroads

Straits Times

27-07-2025

Cricket - International Test Match Series - Fourth Test - England v India - Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester, Britain - July 27, 2025 India's Shubman Gill plays a shot off a ball bowled by England's Jofra Archer and is caught out by Jamie Smith Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
MANCHESTER, England - After being 0-2 early in their second innings, India continued to battle on to frustrate England on day five of the fourth test at Old Trafford on Sunday, the tourists doing everything possible to keep the series alive on 322-4 at tea.
Shubman Gill's courageous century added to England's woes in the morning session, before Washington Sundar and veteran Ravindra Jadeja both hit unbeaten half centuries after lunch to give India a second-innings lead of 11.
A tantalising, closely-contested series in which every test has gone to the final day reached a crucial point as England targeted victory in the match that would seal series success with one fixture still to come.
England skipper Ben Stokes, who took five wickets in India's first innings but was not fit to bowl in the tourists' first 63 overs of their second on Saturday, brought himself into the attack on Sunday morning with India resuming on 174-2.
The move paid dividends as Stokes, still feeling the effects of several injuries, trapped KL Rahul leg before wicket for 90, ending the third-wicket partnership -- India having been 0-2 when Gill and Rahul came to the crease -- at 188.
Gill remained undeterred, even after getting a nasty-looking blow on the hand, to move to his fourth century of the series. In his first as captain, the 25-year-old became only the third skipper to score four hundreds in a single test series.
After almost seven hours at the crease, a tired-looking Gill wafted at a Jofra Archer delivery to fall just before lunch for 103. Jadeja was then dropped the very next ball by Joe Root but survived to return for the afternoon session.
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Sundar moved along conservatively after lunch, with a draw India's only realistic target. He then hit successive boundaries, one a huge six, to move to his fifth test half century, before Jadeja reached his latest milestone.
England looked short of ideas after struggling to cause India any afternoon problems. Sundar will resume on 57 after tea, Jadeja on 53. REUTERS