Day 4: Root’s century rescues England

Day 4 produced a thrilling day of riveting Test cricket and saw batting and bowling of the highest standard.

England began the day 70 behind with all their wickets in hand.

India got a much-needed breakthrough through Mohammed Siraj.

Siraj pitched it in the blind spot on middle and leg and then got some away movement, inducing an edge from Rory Burns.

Next, Bumrah produced a beauty to Zak Crawley, pitching on a length, close to off that held its line and took the edge which Rishabh Pant gleefully accepted.

This brought England’s best batter, Joe Root to the crease.

Root and Dom Sibley put an 89 run partnership to take the score to 140 before Sibley fell.

After scoring a patient 28 off 132 balls, Sibley drove at a short-of-a-length ball from Bumrah, which nipped back in to take the inside edge.

The first 3 wickets were all caught behind by Pant.

Root rightfully decided to play positively, showing a lot of intent.

In the first 18 balls he had hit four fours.

When Bumrah was taken off the attack, the pressure eased and both Root and Bairstow took ample advantage.

Bairstow hit four boundaries in 32 balls, but when he went for the fifth, all he did was hit it straight to Ravindra Jadeja off Siraj.

The score stood at 177 for 4.

Joe Root played with skill and patience to bring up his century.

Root got his 21st Test hundred with a straight drive for four off Shardul Thakur in the third session and broke into ecstatic celebrations.

He would have expected better support from Dan Lawrence and Buttler but both fell to the wrong strokes, off Thakur who yet again, showed the ability to take vital wickets.

Sam Curran was a danger man but Bumrah, who is back to his best, snared him and followed it with the dismissal of Stuart Broad.

In the process, he finished with 5 wickets for 64 runs.

Siraj and Thakur bagged 2 wickets each and Shami got one.

England finished at 303 all out.

In reply, India finished on 52 for 1, still needing 157 runs to win the Test on the final day.

KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma looked comfortable and put on 34 runs before England struck.

Rahul had looked in fine nick but Stuart Broad got him caught behind.

This brought Pujara to the crease.

Unlike his usual cautious self, Pujara played with aggression to post 12 off just 13 balls.

Unless England grabs some quick wickets in the first session, they may not be able to stop India from going up 1-0.

India 278 and 52 for 1 (Rahul 26, Rohit 12*) need another 157 runs to beat England 183 and 303 (Root 109, Curran 32, Bumrah 5-64, Thakur 2-37)