India suffered a potentially significant blow on the opening day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford as Rishabh Pant retired hurt late in the evening session, taking some gloss off an otherwise promising batting display.
The tourists reached stumps on 264 for 4 after being sent in to bat by England captain Ben Stokes, who went against the grain at a venue where no team has ever won after choosing to bowl first. With England 2-1 up in the five-match series, India must win in Manchester to stay alive. They too will have to overturn history, having never won a Test in nine previous appearances at this ground.
India’s day was built on solid foundations from openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, who saw through the first session without loss. However, after lunch, wickets began to fall in patches, and the late injury to Pant cast a shadow on the proceedings.
Pant had looked in fine touch, striking 37 from 48 balls, including a straight six off Brydon Carse. But while attempting a reverse sweep to a yorker from Chris Woakes, he inside-edged the delivery onto his right foot. England appealed for lbw, but a review showed an inside edge. Despite surviving, Pant was in clear discomfort and had to be helped off the field in a buggy.
India were 212 for 3 at the time. Soon after, Sai Sudharsan, recalled for this match, fell for a well-constructed 61 when a top-edged pull off Stokes went straight to Carse at long leg.
Bad light brought a premature end to play at 6.21 pm local time, even though the floodlights were on and England had both spinners operating.
Earlier, the openers had looked largely assured in the face of disciplined bowling. Rahul added just six to his lunch score before edging Woakes to Zak Crawley at third slip on 46. Jaiswal reached his fifty from 96 balls, but his innings ended shortly after when Liam Dawson, playing his first Test since 2017, struck with just his seventh delivery. Jaiswal pushed forward and edged to Harry Brook at slip.
Dawson was brought back into the side after Shoaib Bashir suffered a series-ending finger injury. Speaking after the day’s play, Dawson said: “What you saw today was what you get. Not amazing, but I do a job for the team. I’m not getting any younger, so I just try and enjoy it and take each day as it comes.”
India captain Shubman Gill was greeted with boos by the Old Trafford crowd, following his remarks accusing England of time-wasting during the third Test at Lord’s. There was, however, little visible tension between the two sides on the field in Manchester.
Gill’s innings was brief. He opted not to play a shot to a delivery from Stokes that nipped back and was given out lbw after a successful England review. He made 12, continuing a lean stretch with just 34 runs from his last three innings, after scoring three centuries in the opening two matches.
In a significant selection move, India included Jasprit Bumrah despite earlier announcements that the fast bowler would be limited to three Tests in the series to manage his workload following a back injury. Bumrah had missed the second Test in Birmingham, which India won, but returned for the dramatic loss at Lord’s.
The fifth and final Test of the series is scheduled to begin at The Oval on 31 July.