Despite a brilliant spell from Jasprit Bumrah on the fourth day of competition on Monday at Edgbaston, England tightened their grip on the rearranged fifth Test against India, just 119 runs away from a series-level win with seven wickets in hand.
Bumrah’s heroism was short-lived as Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow stood strong, putting on an unbeaten 150-run stand for the fourth wicket, foiling India’s plan to take control of the rescheduled Test on a final day in Birmingham. With Root (76*) and Bairstow (72*) batting in the middle, England reached 259 for 3 at the end of the fourth day’s play.
England vs India, 5th Test, Day 4 Highlights
With plenty of time left in the Tests, England have found an ideal platform to not only level the series at 2-2, but also surpass their previous successful run chase of 362-9 against Australia at Leeds in 2019. has done. England successfully chased close to 300. Scored runs in all three matches against Kiwis.
Bumrah’s double strikes thwarted the start of England’s counter-attack as the stand-in skipper bundled out Jack Crawley for 46 at a stroke of tea and then removed Ollie Pope on the first delivery of the final session. Alex Lees and Crowley had provided England with a fine start as the opening pair put on 107 runs in just 21.4 overs in their pursuit of 378 in the series-deciding Test against India at Edgbaston on Monday.
Lees was the next England batsman to have a misunderstanding with Joe Root after seeing him walk back after a brilliant 56. Root then kept the Indian bowlers away with an unbeaten 108-run partnership for the fourth wicket with a first innings century and in-form batsman Jonny Bairstow.
India set 378-run target
Earlier, Ben Stokes gave India a chance to turn India’s tail with his four-wicket haul as the tourists were bowled out for 245, setting England a 378-run victory target on the fourth day.
Matthew Potts (2/50) and Stuart Broad (2/58) hit India in the first session after restarting at 125/3 on Day 4. Cheteshwar Pujara took a wide delivery from Broad and was caught at backward point after scoring a stunner. 66. No. 6 run Shreyas Iyer fell in a short ball move as Potts dismissed him for 19.
Rishabh Pant went to reverse sweep left-arm spinner Jack Leach as Joe Root took a sharp catch at slips. Potts then bounced off Shardul Thakur, who suffered back-to-back knocks on the helmet in successive deliveries and was dismissed for four. England came back in an interesting first session with four wickets, before India reached 229/7 at lunch to take a 361 lead.
Stokes then turned the tail for India, who put up stiff resistance in the first innings. Mohammed Shami out on a short ball; Ravindra Jadeja (23), who scored a century in the first innings, played against the England captain and Bumrah was caught in the deep after striking the six-over fine leg.