Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett gave England a flying start in their reply to India’s 358 on the second day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford, but both openers fell just short of centuries before India clawed their way back into the contest.
England finished the day on 225-2, trailing by 133 runs, with the five-match series standing at 2-1 in favour of the hosts. A win in Manchester would seal the series for England ahead of the final Test at the Oval next week.
Crawley struck a fluent 84 and Duckett made 94 in an opening stand of 166 – their fifth century partnership in 53 Test innings together.
Crawley, often criticised for his inconsistency and recently called “the luckiest player to have won as many England caps as he has” by former captain Michael Vaughan, produced a trademark flurry of stylish drives. He did, however, survive a confident lbw appeal on 26 when he shouldered arms to a delivery from Mohammed Siraj.
He was eventually undone by Ravindra Jadeja, edging to KL Rahul at slip after a 113-ball innings featuring 13 boundaries and a six.
Duckett, meanwhile, dominated debutant Anshul Kamboj’s first over in Test cricket with three boundaries and showed intent against Jasprit Bumrah, flicking the world’s top-ranked Test bowler for two fours in one over.
Looking for his second century of the series following his 149 at Headingley, Duckett fell agonisingly short when he edged a cut off Kamboj to stand-in keeper Dhruv Jurel. It was Kamboj’s maiden Test wicket, and Duckett departed with England on 197-2.
Earlier, England captain Ben Stokes had taken 5-72 to help dismiss India for 358 after the visitors resumed on 264-4 in overcast conditions. Stokes, whose bowling future was in doubt due to hamstring issues, claimed his first five-wicket haul in a Test since taking 6-22 against the West Indies at Lord’s in 2017.
Jofra Archer struck early on the second morning, removing Ravindra Jadeja for 20 with a sharp catch taken low at second slip by Harry Brook. The wicket ended Jadeja’s streak of four consecutive fifties.
Vice-captain Rishabh Pant, who had retired hurt on 37 the previous day after being struck on the foot by a Chris Woakes yorker, returned to bat following the dismissal of Shardul Thakur for 41.
Pant, visibly limited in movement due to the injury and unable to use a runner under modern regulations, still managed a defiant 54 off 69 balls, including a pulled six off Archer. His resistance ended when Archer bowled him with a full delivery.
Stokes quickly polished off the tail, including Kamboj for a duck, to wrap up India’s innings.
Stokes’s decision to bowl first went against historical trends no team has ever won a Test at Old Trafford after choosing to field. But India face an even steeper historical climb: they have never won a Test at this venue.
