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Sidharth Monga07-Aug-2021All set up for big finale7pmHectic finish. Look at Cheteshwar Pujara’s strike-rate. He is 12 off 13. Just what he needed perhaps. England getting desperate for a wicket instead of bowling line and length, and he managed to get some runs there. And runs are at a premium. India end the day at 52 for 1 needing another 157 to win this Test. They will fancy themselves. And after the bluff by the weather forecast today, I am not even looking at what is in store tomorrow. Instead I will leave you with a teaser from the end-of-the-day report
Joe Root and Jasprit Bumrah combined on the fourth day to set up a grandstand finish for the Trent Bridge Test, the series opener. Having fallen behind by 95 in the first innings, England roared back on the back of a colossal 21st century from Root, but just when they were slipping out of India’s grasp, Bumrah put in an immense five-for to rise above a tiring bowling unit to keep the target down to 209. India knocked 52 of those off in the awkward 65 minutes they got at the end of the day for the loss of just one wicket.England began the day 70 behind with all their wickets in hand, but it was believed they needed rain or Root to rescue their fledgling batting unit. The promised rain never arrived, but in the best batting conditions of the Test, Root batted with assured positivity to make sure England never went into a shell and put the pressure of runs on India. However, Dom Sibley, Dan Lawrence and Jos Buttler gifted their wickets away to keep India in the contest by the time the new ball arrived. Bumrah blew them away with it.
Broad too good6.43pmIt is Stuart Broad’s first wicket of the match, but it has come just when it was all looking too flat for them and India had put on 34 for the first wicket. And it is a beauty too. There is not much KL Rahul can do with this. On a length, on off, extra bounce, holds its line. Just too good. What an amazing Test for Rahul though: coming in at the last moment, he scored 84 in the first innings, and made them bowl the best they could to get him out in the second innings.What a stat from Sampath Bandarupalli: “Before KL Rahul’s dismissal, Stuart Broad had not taken a wicket vs India in 60.2 overs since Virat Kohli at The Oval in 2018.”India 34 for 1, Rahul gone for 26 off 38, Rohit unbeaten on 7 off 27. India need 175 more to win.India need 209 to win5.43pmGetty Images
A couple of balls after being hit in the helmet grille, Robinson swings hard at a length ball, and India have the fly slip in place. The new ball has brought India 31 or 4. Twice in a row India have run through the England lower order. And just look at what the new ball has done. England through careless batting have lost the chance of using the second new ball. Whatever they have to do they have to do with the old one.The man of the moment, though, is the immense immense Jasprit Bumrah, who finally got the wicket of Joe Root, and then Sam Curran and Stuart Broad in two balls.We have got 65 minutes of play today. Heavy roller will come out to settle the pitch down again. India failed to chase two sub-200 scores on the 2018 trip, but will fancy themselves now because the pitch has looked flat in the third innings and because there are Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja in the lower middle order to go with a similar top order.Toes for Broad again5.33pmBumrah. What a bowler. He has knocked back Stuart Broad’s wicket with a straight ball following Broad as he backs away, and it ricochets onto his wicket. First ball that too. Robinson in danger of not even getting a chance to farm the strike. One more ball left this over. Bumrah on a hat-trick.He attempts the yorker on the hat-trick, but it falls just short of it, and Anderson keeps it out. Oh it is a no-ball. Torture for Anderson. The newt ball is a 140kmph offbreak, and somehow misses the edge.What a huge spell from Bumrah. 3-0-9-3 when it looked like England could just nose ahead. That’s a five-for for him. A 10-for in sight.Now the field will spread for Robinson.5.28pmBumrah keeps India’s noses ahead5.28pmSam Curran and Ollie Robinson have decided they won’t just stand there and provide Bumrah target practice. They have actually gone ahead and targeted Shami at the other end. The partnership is 20 off 21, but Bumrah has bowled another beauty to get rid of the dangerous Curran. This one comes from round the wicket, pitches and jags back in to cramp Curran up, who is on the lookout for the runs. Mid-on takes the catch. England 295 for 8 in 84.4 overs, Curran gone for 32 off 45, Robinson unbeaten on 13 off 7. England effectively 200 for 8. They would have dearly loved for Curran to have been there with Broad and Anderson, but Bumrah has bowled an excellent spell with the new ball here to keep India ahead.Bumrah stands up5.09pmIn the first over of the new ball, Jasprit Bumrah produces the ball to finally get the edge from Joe Root. A colossal innings, but a big moment in the Test. Bumrah has stood up with the Test in the balance. England still can’t feel comfortable. They are 274 for 7 in 81 overs, effectively 179 for 7. Root is gone for 109 off 172, Curran unbeaten on 24 off 30.It is just that angle from Bumrah that makes you play at balls you don’t want to play, and then at the last moment this length ball holds its line to take the edge. Huge reception for Root as he walks off.New ball5.05pmThe ball is taken as soon as it becomes available, and India turn to Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami now. Thirty-seven runs in those 10 overs for the bonus wicket of Buttler. England 272 for 6 in 80 overs, Root 108 off 168, Curran 23 off 28. England effectively 177 for 6.Big spell coming up for Bumrah and Shami. If England don’t lose a wicket in these 10 overs, they could feel they are in control. India can still break this Test open right here, right now.RoooooooooooooooooooTPA Images via Getty Images
4.42pmJoe Root is carrying the Test side on his back, and this time he has done long enough to bring up his 21st Test century, his first in England in three years. Under fire from every corner, England began the day needing Rain or Root to come to their aid. The rain didn’t show up, but Root did. A fluent, aggressive, precise knock in the best batting conditions of the Test so far. He has been let down by three of his partners, at least one of whom should have been here with him to put India under pressure, but Sam Curran it is who gets the congratulatory hug.After missing out on two boundary balls earlier in the 75th over, he drives one straight down the ground, and raises his arms as the ball goes past the bowler for four. Whole of Trent Bridge stands with him. England 253 for 6 in 75 overs, Root 102 off 156, Curran 10 off 10. England effectively 158 for 6. New ball available in five overs.India have not been at their bestESPNcricinfo Ltd
4.30pmThe thing about the Buttler wicket is that we were just discussing how India have presented boundary balls today a little more easily than on their good days. That should irk England more than they have not made India pay for it. Here is some findings from Shiva Jayaraman:
India bowlers have been guilty of bowling boundary balls to England batters fresh at the crease in this innings. Jos Buttler, who didn’t get off the mark in his first dig in this match, hit three fours in the first-ten he faced in this innings. England batters collectively hit as many as 11 boundaries (from shots that they were in full control of) in the first 20 balls faced by them in their second innings. In comparison, the England top order had hit only four boundaries in the first innings.
England gift another wicket4.17pmJust back from tea, and it is Jos Buttler’s turn to giftwrap his wicket with a tiny bow on the top. Before tea also he survived a close lbw shout when padding up to a reversing ball. He leaves one again, and this time the gently paced Thakur gets full access to the top of off. England’s collapse in the first innings featured a few soft wickets, but you might have been okay with it given the conditions. But in flat conditions, against tiring bowlers, England have thrown away three wickets, and that is a bigger problem. This is the sixth time in Test cricket that Buttler has got out leaving the ball, four of them bowled. England 237 for 6, effectively 142 for 6.Tea on day four3.56pmA slightly longer middle session comes to an end. In flatter conditions, with Joe Root batting beautifully, India will be glad with the two gifts they have been given by Sibley and Lawrence. England will be disappointed because they really had a chance to bat India out of this Test in this session. Old ball, tired bowlers, Root looking immovable, freebies finally arriving, but Sibley played a poor shot and Lawrence was dozy to reverse swing. England scored 116 for 3 in that session in 30 overs. Nearly four an over tells you the pitch has eased out. And that the pitch has eased out tells you that England won’t be happy with the 180-190 targets they won with in 2018.New ball available in 10 overs. So that is another turning point to watch out for in the next session. England 235 for 5 in 70 overs, Root 96 off 138, Buttler 15 off 20. England effectively 140 for 5. See you soon.Dozy Lawrence3.32pmThakur was looking ordinary in this over giving leg-side offerings, not bowling high pace, but to the fifth legal ball of the over, Lawrence played for the straight ball when the ball is clearly reversing. This is just the window India needed, just the moment of dozy cricket that could cost England the Test just when it looked like England had access to tired bowlers. You just don’t plant your front foot across to the reversing ball. Lawrence is out plumb lbw for 25 off 32. England 211 for 5 in 64.5 overs, effectively 116 for 5. Root unbeaten on 90 off 125. In comes Jos Buittler, on a pair.And India sense something and have gone back to Jasprit Bumrah. Big 20 minutes to tea coming up.Reverse swing3.25pmIn the 64th over of the third innings, for the first time we saw signs of reverse swing in this Test. Dan Lawrence saw the shiny side outside, set himself up to play to leg, and the ball moved away to beat his edge. The next ball, with the shiny side out, took his outside edge, but it fell short. And then Mohammed Shami flipped the shine to try the inswinger, and it went, but went down the leg side, and Lawrence got a tickle for four to fine leg.England 202 for 4 in 64 overs, Root 90 off 124, Lawrence 17 off 26. England effectively 107 for 4.Good news for India; Shardul Thakur is bowling, but he has started with a no-ball. Only his eighth over in this innings. Jadeja has bowled more.Is Shardul Thakur fine?3.10pmIn the 60th over of the England innings, Shardul Thakur gave chase at deep third man, and he looked slow. Nagraj Gollapudi tells me he was pointing to the inside of his knee sometime ago. He also spent some time off in this session. He was also seen talking to the physio. And he hasn’t bowled at all in this session. In case he is injured, it is an illustration why you play five bowlers.England 188 for 4 in 60 overs, Root 87 off 120, Lawrence 6 off 7, effectively 93 for 4.Bairstow finds the sweeper3pmThis is a pull shot nailed off the absolute meat of the bat, but Bairstow has not bothered to keep it down, and Siraj has had a man back just in front of square for him all the while. And they have chosen the right man too, Ravindra Jadeja. Bairstow just can’t believe he has found the man. This looks like a wicket that has an element of fortune to it, and it is because this short ball is not even an effort ball, but India have also been looking to bowl short to Bairstow with a field for it, and the best fielder in place. Siraj is shushing Bairstow with a finger on the lip. England 177 for 4 in 57.3 overs, Bairstow gone for 30 off 50, Root unbeaten on 83 off 112. Effectively 82 for 4.Afternoon drinks2.47pmJonny Bairstow has come in and counterattacked even under overcast skies. The partnership between him and Root is 36 in 9.1 overs, but Bairstow has scored 26 of those. It has helped that Shami and Siraj started their current spells with looseners on which he pounced, hitting two of his four bundaries. It has allowed Root to go a little easy here. England 171 for 3 in 55 overs, effectively 76 for 3, Root 81 off 107, Bairstow 24 off 40.In case you are wondering about the weather, it is drizzling somewhere in Nottingham, but it seems it is going to miss the Trent Bridge ground. It is dark and overcast at the ground so it should help India.Sibley loses his patience2.05pmAnd with that his wicket. A really poor shot given how he has batted. After 132 balls of watchful batting for just 28 runs he has wafted at a wide length ball. It might even have been just short of a length. And it is overcast with floodlights on. The ball nips back in after pitching, takes the inside edge and Pant takes the catch diving to his left. This is inexplicable from Sibley. even if this ball doesn’t seam, Sibley is not going to make a good connection with this one because it is so far away from him. The partnership ends at 89, and India have a new batter in with the ball just beginning to move around.England 135 for 3, effectively 40 for 3, Sibley gone for 28 off 133, Root unbeaten on 71 off 92.Root looks to scoreThe difference in Root’s intent as captured by our scorers. Second innings updated till lunch•ESPNcricinfo Ltd
The above image is self-explanatory. In the second innings, Joe Root has cut out the leave and looked to score off those deliveries. He has still respected the good balls as he has defended the same amount in a much shorter period, but he has attacked more and looked for the ones and twos more.1.47pmJadeja has been taken off after just one over, and Mohammed Siraj is now joining Bumrah in the attack.We are back1.40pmAnd India have surprisingly chosen to start with Ravindra Jadeja. Wonder if they have decided they need to block one end up and have their fresh quicks at the other end? I can tell you that clouds have rolled in so if the ball does something for Jasprit Bumrah at the other end, we will have two quicks on.Root, Sibley hold India off1pmAFP/Getty Images
England were 49 behind when these two came together, but going into lunch they lead by 24 runs. Contrasting styles there. Root looking to score of every opportunity he gets, Sibley looking to survive. Root 56 off 74, Sibley 27 off 116.The interesting thing is that England’s control percentage has gone down during this partnership. That’s cricket, though: Root feels the conditions are slightly easier and he can get away with mistakes. And he has. India will come back hard at the start of the next session. At this moment, you’d still want to be in the Indian camp, but they wouldn’t want this partnership to keep growing. Back after the breakFifty for Root12.55pmIt was rain or Root for England at the start of the innings. The rain hasn’t arrived, but Joe Root is keeping them alive with an unbeaten 51 off 68 balls. This has been a slightly streaky hand as he has looked intent on playing for the runs and not just time. He has been in control only of three balls in four. He has taken his chances, and has been excellent on the cover-drive and the late-cut. That is why England are in the lead. India can’t just attack here. They have to think about the runs too. England effectively 19 for 2.India will bat again12.35pmJoe Root and Dom Sibley have gone through a nervous period and have added 49 for the third wicket to level the scores. England have already lost two wickets in the process. Now England will hope to convert this into some pressure for England. There’s five-and-a-half sessions left in the Test now. England effectively 0 for 2 in the third innings.India have a third man for Root12.30pmGetty Images
The image there is the reason why. four of Root’s 11 boundaries in the first innings came through third man. And now, with England getting close to making India bat again, runs are at a premium. So India don’t want to give away any cheap boundaries to third man. England 91 for 2 in 31 overs, still trail by 4 runs.India’s hourNoonTime for the first drinks break of the day, and India have made vital inroads. Wickets of Rory Burns and Zak Crawley for the addition of 46 runs in conditions that have probably been the best for batting all Test. Joe Root has already edged twice, once wide of slips and once short of them. Another inside edge has travelled safely. England still trail by 24 runs.India have induced 28 mistakes in 25 overs of bowling this innings: a mistake ever six balls or so. In the first two innings, it was happening once every four balls.India on their way11.30amJasprit Bumrah makes it a double breakthrough by teasing Zak Crawley in the channel, bowling one he has to play at. It holds its line and takes the edge. The only way he surrives this is if Crawley strides forward. England down at 46 for 2. They still trail by 49.When this innings began, there was a remark made: only Root and rain stand in India’s way. The rain has disappeared. And Root is here. India will be very intense in this spell of play.First break for India11.20amGetty Images
Mohammed Siraj’s coaches will tell you his biggest threat is how often he can make left-hand batters play at the away-going delivery. He can just keep pitching it in the blind spot again and again, and make them push at it. There is also the threat of the odd ball that holds its line. This time, in conditions that look more settled than in the first innings, he makes Rory Burns play at one leaving him. The edge is taken, and India are on the board.And the first ball that Zak Crawley gets tells you possibly why people keep playing at him. This one holds its line against the angle to the right-hand batter Zak Crawley, and the edge flies of the slips.Also Shiva Jayaraman comes up with the numbers for Siraj to left-hand batters: “Early days in his career, but Mohammed Siraj seems to have done better against left-handed batters in comparison with right handers. At the fall of Rory Burns’ wicket, Siraj averaged 18.28 against them (7 wickets, strike rate of 38) as opposed to 34.18 against right handers (11 wickets, strike rate of 74).’England 37 for 1 in 15.1 overs, Burns gone for 18 off 49, SIbley unbeaten on 13 off 47. England still trail by 58.Here we go10.45amWelcome to the Live Report of Day 4. Great news for India: it is nice and sunny as we speak, and we are starting on time. We have a maximum of 196 overs left in this Test. England have all their 10 second-wickets in hand, but they are still trailing by 70 runs. If there is no further rain, you’d assume England will need to bat close to four sessions to save this Test. India will back themselves here should there not be any more rain.In the 11.1 overs bowled in the second innings on the third day, the ball moved less than it did in the first two innings. It showed in how India deployed only two slips and a gully. Is that a sign of things to come? Or will the conditions change again?India’s wish: Clouds but no rain.England’s wish: Either rain or a sunny day.