Gill & Rahul resist England push for victory

Fourth Rothesay Test, Emirates Old Trafford (day four of five)

India 358 (Sudharsan 61; Stokes 5-72) & 174-2 (Rahul 87*, Gill 78*)

England 669 (Root 150, Stokes 141; Jadeja 4-134)

India are 137 runs behind

Scorecard

England still have work to do in order to win the fourth Test after some stoic India resistance on the fourth day at Old Trafford.

India closed on 165-2, 137 behind thanks to a rearguard partnership between KL Rahul and Shubman Gill.

The tourists had been 0-2, but Rahul and captain Gill blunted an England attack shorn of Ben Stokes, who did not bowl all day.

Skipper Stokes earlier completed his first hundred in more than two years to lift England to 669, their third-highest total in a home Test.

Stokes' 141, to go with his 5-72 in the India first innings, made him only the fourth England man to score a century and take a five-wicket haul in the same Test.

Giving up a deficit of 311 runs, India were in danger of being steamrollered when Chris Woakes removed Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan in consecutive deliveries in the first over of the second innings.

From 0-2, Rahul and Gill came together for a unbroken stand of 174 across almost 63 overs. Gill has 78, Rahul has 87.

Without the energy of talismanic all-rounder Stokes, England were bereft of penetration when the ball lost its hardness and pitch went to sleep.

The home side are still huge favourites for the win that would clinch the series, but India are clinging to hope of escaping Manchester with a draw.

Given his importance, injury history and the stellar summer he is enjoying, any doubt over Stokes' fitness is always a worry.

After bowling 24 overs in the India first innings, he was forced to retire hurt with cramp during his batting on Friday, before resuming later the same day.

England gave no indication of an injury concern, but Stokes' absence from the attack on Saturday afternoon cannot have been tactical. It could be that he was simply taking care after his prior exertions in this match, and with the fifth Test at The Oval beginning on Thursday.

When he resumed on 77 out of England's 544-7, Stokes looked sprightly in pinching a single in the first over of the day, beating Anshul Kamboj's direct hit from mid-on.

Stokes' last Test ton was a riotous protest against Jonny Bairstow's stumping in the second Ashes Test of 2023.

This was a controlled, determined effort. The left-hander spent six balls on 99 before tickling Jasprit Bumrah very fine for four. Stokes' celebration, a trademark salute to his late father Ged, was prolonged and followed by a second look to the sky.

Stokes' century, his 14th in Tests, came from 164 deliveries. He walloped 38 runs from the next 33 deliveries he faced, including a combined three sixes off spinners Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja.

Brydon Carse, one of the best number 10s England have ever had, joined in the mayhem. Their partnership of 95 came at almost a run a ball, flattening the demoralised Indians.

Stokes was chasing a second successive six off Jadeja when he holed out to long-on. He left to a rapturous ovation and paused to soak it in.

His only involvement for the rest of the day was marshalling his team in the field, often hunched over with hands on knees.

This had all the ingredients of a horror show for India. Outplayed for the first three days, they spent more than 157 overs in the field then came out to bat miles behind. The ball has started to keep low, especially from the James Anderson End, and the clouds gathered to create perfect bowling conditions.

Woakes has endured a tough series, yet the situation was tailor-made for his style of bowling. With his fourth delivery, he found movement away from left-hander Jaiswal, who was well caught by juggling first-slip Joe Root.

From the next ball, Sudharsan tried to withdraw the bat but could only deflect to Harry Brook at second slip. Old Trafford was rocking, India were teetering.

That England did not take another wicket across the final two sessions of the day is down to the quality, determination and concentration of opener Rahul and skipper Gill.

This was the fourth time in as many Tests Rahul has passed 50. His defence was immaculate as he played the silent partner. His half-century came from 141 balls and included only three fours.

Gill was prolific across the first two Tests, then lost his way in the tetchy third at Lord's. This was an act of defiance when his team needed it most.

He survived Woakes' hat-trick ball and two huge lbw appeals from a begging Jofra Archer, then eased into handsome driving. He gave one chance, pushing at a wide one from Carse when on 45. It burst through the hands of a flying Liam Dawson at point.

India ate up time. England struggled to get anything from the surface. Stokes played with the field. Bowlers messed with their angles and lengths. Dawson was tidy without threatening, Root bowled and Stokes did not. Jamie Smith stood up to Woakes. The Old Trafford Party Stand made its own entertainment.

The tourists are a long way from saving this match, especially with questions over the involvement of injured Rishabh Pant, but they have more hope than they did at lunchtime.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan: "I gave India no chance, especially after their body language yesterday. And when they lost two wickets early today, I thought they were knocked out. But I love character and they bounced back brilliantly with the mentality to prove us wrong.

"England looked jaded and this shows how important Ben Stokes is to this England team. If they can get one wicket and get a left-hander out there, I think Jofra Archer and Liam Dawson will have more purchase from that."

Ex-India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta: "This is the sign of a new India side with a new captain showcasing their resilience and their will to fight."