Shubman Gill departed to a careless leave, triggering an animated roar from Ben Stokes as England seized the momentum on the opening day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford.
Liam Dawson ended his long wait for a Test wicket after eight years by removing Yashasvi Jaiswal for 58, handing England a crucial breakthrough.
With Jaiswal dismissed, Shubman Gill walked in to join Sai Sudharsan at the crease, only to be met with boos from the home fans after his recent on-field confrontation with Zak Crawley during the third Test at Lord’s.
Earlier in the day, KL Rahul fell short of what could have been a well-earned fifty, departing for 46 soon after Lunch. His departure came just as Yashasvi Jaiswal had begun to switch gears, lifting the scoring rate by shedding early restraint and taking on the bowlers.
Jaiswal dug deep through a testing phase while Rahul anchored the innings, guiding India to 78/0 at Lunch with a solid, unbeaten opening stand under overcast and challenging conditions.
India slipped into a tense passage of play heading into the interval as England applied disciplined pressure with the ball. Ben Stokes rallied his teammates to raise the energy levels and seize control of the session as the visitors showed signs of vulnerability.
Chris Woakes produced a probing spell, consistently testing Jaiswal with sharp movement and tidy lines, but the opener stood firm before eventually falling to Dawson’s spin.
England skipper Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to bowl first, setting the stage for Anshul Kamboj to make his Test debut in place of Karun Nair, who was left out of the playing XI.
For India, the stakes are high as they trail 1-2 in the five-match series and will be looking to level proceedings with a win in Manchester.
The encounter at Old Trafford is expected to mirror the drama and tension of the third Test at Lord’s, where England secured a thrilling 22-run victory on the final day, spiced with sledging battles including a heated verbal exchange between Shubman Gill and Zak Crawley.
Indian fans will hope Jasprit Bumrah features in the playing XI for what has become a must-win clash. Mohammed Siraj, speaking at the pre-match press conference, confirmed that Bumrah would play, providing India a timely boost.
After an eight-day break following the third Test, both teams are expected to return refreshed and eager to prove a point in Manchester, although heavy clouds and forecast rain could disrupt play on Day 1.
The hosts have already confirmed their playing XI, with Liam Dawson recalled as the lead spinner following Shoaib Bashir’s exclusion from the remainder of the series. For India, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Akash Deep will miss out, while Arshdeep Singh has also been ruled out.
Sai Sudharsan has returned to the side and fans could see a surprise debut for pacer Anshul Kamboj, who was flown to Manchester ahead of the fixture.
England stand just one win away from clinching the series, but India are determined to prevent that outcome and keep alive their hopes of a first series win in England since 2007.
“So far, the series has been great to play in and I presume it's been pretty good to watch,” said Ben Stokes ahead of the match. “The 2005 Ashes series was great to watch, and I think we've gone all five days in all three Tests so far, so it just proves the quality of cricket has been outstanding. Two teams going toe-to-toe, and not very much separates us at the moment. It's been good to be a part of.”
At the final break of the day, Rishabh Pant (3 not out) and Sai Sudharsan (26 not out) were at the crease.
Brief scores: India: 149 for 3 in 52 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 58, KL Rahul 46, Sai Sudharsan 26 not out; Liam Dawson 1/21, Ben Stokes 1/24) vs England.
Follow us
