Leeds [UK], June 23 (ANI): England finished Day 4 of the opening Test against India at Headingley on a steady note, reaching 21/0 in six overs in pursuit of a daunting 371-run target. Openers Zak Crawley (12*) and Ben Duckett (9*) remained unbeaten, carefully navigating the final session to keep England’s hopes alive heading into the decisive fifth day.
With 350 runs still needed and all 10 wickets in hand, England have set the stage for a thrilling final-day contest. The hosts chose a cautious approach in their brief stint at the crease, avoiding risky strokes and preserving their wickets. Crawley struck consecutive boundaries off Mohammed Siraj, offering England some early momentum in their steep chase.
Earlier, India’s innings wrapped up at 364 after a lower-order collapse. Resuming strongly at 349/6, the visitors lost their final four wickets for just 15 runs. The collapse began with Brydon Carse dismantling KL Rahul’s stumps. Rahul departed to a standing ovation after a gritty 137-run knock off 247 deliveries.
Karun Nair followed soon after, handing a return catch to Chris Woakes. Then Josh Tongue turned the tide decisively, removing Shardul Thakur and Siraj with consecutive deliveries. Although Jasprit Bumrah denied Tongue a hat-trick, the bowler completed his demolition by knocking over Bumrah the very next ball.
Ravindra Jadeja provided brief resistance, smashing a six and a four in the 95th over, but the innings ended when Prasidh Krishna fell to Shoaib Bashir’s spin. Krishna’s attempt to clear the field resulted in a catch by Tongue, concluding India’s second innings.
The stark contrast in performance between India’s top and bottom-order batters became evident. The top five batters amassed a combined 721 runs, bolstered by five centuries, while the bottom six managed just 65 runs, highlighting India’s recurring lower-order woes.
At tea, India stood at 298/4 with Rahul on 120* and Karun Nair on 4*. Rishabh Pant, who earlier scored a brisk 118 in 140 balls—his second century of the match—shared a vital 195-run partnership with Rahul, lifting India out of early trouble.
India began Day 4 at 153/3, with Pant and Rahul unbeaten on 31* and 72*, respectively. The pair mounted a fierce counterattack, pushing the lead into a formidable range. Pant’s innings featured 15 fours and three sixes, a testament to his attacking flair. Despite early pressure after Carse removed Shubman Gill for 8, India bounced back to set a commanding target.
Rain interrupted play late on Day 3, with India at 90/2 and Gill unbeaten on 6*.
Brief Scores:
India: 471 & 364 (KL Rahul 137, Rishabh Pant 118, Brydon Carse 2/62)
England: 21/0 (Zak Crawley 12*, Ben Duckett 9*)
With one day remaining, all results remain possible. England will chase history, India will hunt ten wickets, and the Test stands on the brink of a thrilling conclusion. (ANI)
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