Manchester, July 23 (UNI) India made a confident start in the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, with Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring a fighting half-century before England fought back with three crucial wickets in the second session of day one to reduce the visitors to 149 for 3 at tea today.
Put in to bat by England captain Ben Stokes under the grey skies, India reached lunch comfortably placed at 78 for no loss. The opening pair of Jaiswal and KL Rahul showed composure and clarity in their approach, laying down a solid foundation with discipline and select aggression. Rahul looked fluent for his 46 before falling shortly after lunch, edging Chris Woakes to Zak Crawley at slip off a delivery that nipped away and took the outside edge.
Jaiswal, who had crossed his half-century in the 35th over with a single off Brydon Carse, played a determined innings after his struggles at Lord’s. His knock, which included 10 fours and a six, was a mix of resilience and attractive strokeplay. He was particularly strong square of the wicket and showed intent with boundaries off Carse, Woakes and Liam Dawson.
But just as India seemed to take control, Dawson, playing his first Test in eight years, produced a telling blow. The left-arm spinner, who had already found Jaiswal’s edge in a previous over, lured the opener into a defensive prod with a ball that drifted in and straightened. Jaiswal edged it to Harry Brook at slip, departing for 58.
Captain Shubman Gill walked in next and tried to counter-attack, lofting Dawson for a boundary over mid-on. However, he fell to Ben Stokes for 12 after misjudging a delivery that angled in and nipped back slightly. Gill let the ball go, only to find it crashing into his front pad. Stokes went up in a loud appeal, and umpire Rod Tucker raised the finger after a brief delay. Gill reviewed the decision but was given out on DRS, with the ball shown to be crashing into off stump.
Debutant Sai Sudharsan, meanwhile, survived a dropped chance down the leg side by wicketkeeper Jamie Smith off Stokes and later added crucial boundaries. He drove Dawson elegantly through cover and pulled Stokes through square leg, reaching 26 not out by the tea interval. Rishabh Pant joined him late in the session and was unbeaten on 3 at the break.
India’s 100 came up in the 34th over, and Jaiswal brought up his half-century off 96 deliveries. The team looked well set at 120 for 1 at drinks, but England’s persistence brought them back into the contest with two important breakthroughs.
