England will resume Day 4 of the fourth Test at Old Trafford with a dominant 186-run lead over India, having finished Day 3 at an imposing 544 for 7 in 135 overs. The hosts took complete control of the match thanks to a sublime 150 from Joe Root and a gritty unbeaten 77 from skipper Ben Stokes.
Replying to India’s first-innings total of 358, England’s top order fired in unison. Openers Zak Crawley (84) and Ben Duckett (94) set the tone with a rapid 166-run stand before Root anchored the innings with a near-flawless century. The former England captain’s innings saw him overtake multiple cricketing greats to become the second-highest run-scorer in Test history, just behind Sachin Tendulkar.
Stokes, who earlier registered a five-wicket haul, continued his all-round brilliance with the bat. Though briefly retiring hurt due to cramps, the England skipper returned to add crucial runs and was unbeaten at stumps. His innings frustrated the Indian bowlers, who struggled for breakthroughs on a flat pitch.
India’s bowling attack looked toothless for large parts of the day. Ravindra Jadeja (2/100) and Washington Sundar (2/86) picked up a couple of wickets each, but the pace unit failed to sustain pressure. Jasprit Bumrah went wicketless, while captain Shubman Gill’s field placements and bowling changes drew sharp criticism for allowing England to cruise past 500.
The series currently stands at 2-1 in England’s favour, and a win here would seal the five-Test series for the hosts. India, on the other hand, face an uphill task of salvaging the match and avoiding a series loss.
Day 4 is expected to begin under clear skies, giving England ample opportunity to stretch their lead further or declare and unleash their bowlers on a fatigued Indian side.
Score Summary:
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India 1st Innings: 358 all out (114.1 overs)
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England 1st Innings: 544/7 (135 overs)
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Joe Root: 150
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Ben Duckett: 94
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Zak Crawley: 84
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Ben Stokes: 77*
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Ravindra Jadeja: 2/100
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Washington Sundar: 2/86
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Lead: England by 186 runs with 3 wickets in hand
