By Peter Hall
MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) -Rishabh Pant’s retirement through injury slowed India’s progress on day one of the fourth test against England, with the tourists closing on 264-4 in their first innings as they look to keep the thrilling five-match series alive.
With England eyeing victory at Old Trafford that would seal a series win with one match to spare, the hosts put India in to bat in overcast Manchester conditions, but the tourists cruised through to lunch untroubled on 78-0.
Three wickets in the afternoon session costing just 36 runs, including India skipper Shubman Gill, swung momentum back in England’s favour before tea.
England spinner Liam Dawson picked up his first test wicket in eight years when he had opener Yashasvi Jaiswal caught for 58.
As he often does, the entertaining Pant upped the ante after tea by playing a number of flamboyant shots. However, all that came to an abrupt end when he retired hurt on 37, having taken a blow on the foot trying to reverse sweep Chris Woakes.
Sai Sudharsan’s maiden test fifty, a patient knock which took 134 balls to achieve, had already taken India past 200 before he got a hook shot all wrong to fall for 61.
England could not make any further inroads to leave the test finely poised going into day two.
“We will get more information tomorrow, but if the injury is serious, obviously it is a big blow,” Sudharsan told reporters.
“He was batting really well today so we will really miss out if he doesn’t come back. We will have to do our best to negotiate the loss if he doesn’t, we have plenty of batting and all rounders to come.”
HISTORICAL PRECEDENT
For the fourth time this series, Ben Stokes won the toss but the risk-taking England captain ignored historical precedent and put India in — no side winning the toss and bowling first has ever won a test at Old Trafford.
Stokes cited the favourable bowling conditions as the reason behind his decision, but when the match got under way, England’s bowlers had little joy.
Opener KL Rahul looked untroubled as he passed 1,000 test runs in England, while partner Jaiswal overcame a broken bat to blunt the home attack.
England desperately needed a breakthrough as play resumed, with veteran Woakes finally finding Rahul’s edge, the opener falling four short of his half century.
Jaiswal passed his 12th test fifty shortly after but he did not last much longer as 35-year-old Dawson, who replaced the injured Shoaib Bashir, took a first test wicket since 2017. Jaiswal edged Dawson through to Zak Crawley at second slip when on 58.
“It is nice to contribute to the team early on,” Dawson said. “The age I am at, I probably thought test cricket was gone but to be back is really cool.
“Test cricket is completely different to domestic cricket. A nice release coming back into it. But it is one wicket, I have done nothing special.”
The dismissal of Gill, who already has three centuries this series, dragged England back into the contest. He was trapped lbw by Stokes for 12.
With the India skipper registering only 34 runs in his last three innings, the Old Trafford crowd took great delight in Gill’s departure following his complaints over England’s conduct in the last test at Lord’s.
As England appealed for lbw against Pant, the India entertainer lay on the floor in pain, before he was taken off injured. Officials said he had been taken to hospital for scans. If he recovers, the India wicketkeeper can return to the crease later in the India innings.
Playing in only his second test, Sudharsan was dropped when on 20 by England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, but played well for his 61.
The experienced Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur will both resume on 19 on Thursday.
(Reporting by Peter Hall, editing by Ed Osmond, Christian Radnedge and Pritha Sarkar)
