Openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul got the job done in the closing stages of the second day’s play in the ongoing fourth Test on Friday and will look to eat into England‘s 56-run lead tomorrow as India prepare for a big second innings total at the Oval, London. Rahul (22*) and Rohit (20*) are approaching their third fifty-run stand of the series, with India currently at 43/0 in response to England’s 290-run first innings score.  

Ollie Pope and Chris Woakes scored brilliant fifties as England finished 99 runs ahead of India’s 191-run first innings total. After being reduced to 62/5, Pope (81) and Jonny Bairstow (37) led a fightback, adding 78 runs to the total. 

Moeen Ali (35) also contributed with valuable runs down the order, before Woakes brought up a fifty in quick time, scoring 50 runs from 60 deliveries, putting the hosts in the driver’s seat. 

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For India, Umesh Yadav has taken three wickets with Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja dismissing two batsmen each. England were at 227/7 at Tea. 

India finished the Day 1 of the fourth Test match against England with the massive wicket of Joe Root. Umesh Yadav bowled an off-cutter in his second spell to breach the English skipper’s (21) defence which helped the visitors end the day on a high note. 

At stumps on Day 1, England were 53 for 3 in response to India’s 191, having lost openers Rory Burns (5) and Haseeb Hameed (0) to the extra pace and bounce generated by Bumrah (6-2-15-2).

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However, it was Shardul Thakur’s fiery knock that boosted India’s score.  That Indian shoulders didn’t droop after being reduced to 127 for 7 was all because of a man playing only his fourth Test. Justifying his tag as a bowling all-rounder, Shardul smashed 57 off 36 balls and added 63 for the eighth wicket with Umesh to take the total closer to 200 which had looked improbable after another “brain fade” dismissal from Rishabh Pant.

India lasted just 61.3 overs with Cheteshwar Pujara (10) and especially Ajinkya Rahane’s (14) failures becoming glaring enough and couldn’t be papered over by skipper Virat Kohli (50 off 96 balls), who played some gorgeous strokes en route his half-century.

Save couple of half-centuries, none of the Indian batters crossed the 20-run mark.

For England, Chris Woakes (15-6-55-4) was splendid in his comeback game and no praise would be enough for the fast-rising Ollie Robinson (17.3-9-38-3), who bowled a couple of beauties to get rid of KL Rahul and Kohli.

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Anderson bowled one of his classic “in-out” (swinging in and shaping out) delivery to send Pujara back and Rahane was Overton’s victim with Moeen Ali not even required to bowl a single over.

Playing XIs for the 4th India vs England Test:

India: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant(wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

England: Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (captain), Ollie Pope, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Craig Overton, Ollie Robinson, James Anderson.