Pant injury, top order not cashing in peg India back

Jaiswal, Sudharsan hit fifties before being dismissed and Stokes strikes twice on Day 1 of the fourth Test

- Sanjjeev K Samyal

With every period of play, it is becoming evident that Ben Stokes’ all-round brilliance is what separates England and India in the Anderson-Border series. Every time his team is feeling the pressure, trust the England captain to come up with amomentof inspiration and turn the tide. After leading his team to ‘a superb win at Lord’s with a lionhearted bowling effort, Stokes came up with two big wickets on Day 1 of the fourth Test at Old Trafford, denying India the advantage after their openers had put them ahead.

India hardly put a step wrong all morning after being asked to bat. In challenging conditions for batting, KL Rahul and Yashavi Jaiswal blunted the England new ball attack during a stand of 92. Stokes, however, prized out Shubman Gill before taking out the set No.3 Sai Sudarshan to neutralise India’s early advantage.

India ended the day on 264/4 with Ravindra Jadeja and Shar-dul Thakur holding fort with 19 runs each.

At lunch, India were 78/0. The two openers were set. Rahul was cruising at 39 (77 balls), and after a watchful start Jaiswal had switched gears to pick up a flurry of boundaries. The platform had been set for the innings. In this situation the script generally reads that the second session would be about consolidating, seizing control of the game.