England battle to keep India in check

ENGLAND fought hard to keep India in check on an attritional opening day of the fourth Test at a gloomy Emirates Old Trafford, with the tourists sweating over a foot injury to Rishabh Pant.

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Ben Stokes claimed two for 47 after being seduced into bowling first by the overheads and Liam Dawson marked his first Test since July 2017 with the prize wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal for 58.

Sai Sudharsan top-scored with 61 as India went to stumps on 264 for four although Pant retired hurt on 37 when he was struck on the right foot by Chris Woakes.

Pant was in immediate pain and took off his boot to be treated before he was taken away in a golf buggy for further assessment.

India captain Shubman Gill received jeers when he came out to bat and is perhaps now public enemy number one after accusing England of contravening ‘the spirit of the game’ after the third Test.

After the antagonism between the teams at the home of cricket, where England went 2-1 ahead, there was no obvious sign of lingering tensions yesterday, where Gill calling incorrectly under cloudy skies was India’s 14th toss loss in a row ~ a statistical anomaly rated at 16,384 to one.