If that was the ENG gameplan, it was a good 'un.
I thought IND batted above expectations in the conditions.
Pant resumes his innings with a self-inflicted fractured foot. He came out early because everybody knew that the chances of the IND tail being capable of hanging in whilst he swapped a few boundaries were remote. As it turned out. But 358 off 114 is a bankable score virtually any time. Probably above par.
Then the IND attack came out in solidarity with Pant and collectively shot themselves in the foot. On a pitch retaining it’s bounce and movement, and a bit of movement in the air. With the best bowler in the game (Bumrah) and a handy 2IC in Siraj. Life at the crease should have been perilous. It turned out prosperous. A 166 opening partnership off 32 overs. 2/225 at stumps off 46 with plenty of batting to come. There has to be a failure in IND leadership and smarts in there somewhere.
This series has been an engaging slugfest with teams alternating periods of dominance. This Test swung in ENG’s favour was on the back of some combative bowling by Stokes and very sound batting by the ENG top order in conditions that were not conducive. Bravo.
I’ve not really thought of that as an Aussie style, particularly, but - like going for catches fingers up or fingers down - a coached style that varies. It’s be interested to see how other international keepers do it.
Smith has been a revelation. He’s growing into a good keeper, and the more runs he scores, the more he silences the Foakes fans.
Oof, India is getting smoked by England’s batting. Draw seems to be the best case for them. I wonder the last time England drew a test match without experiencing a weather delay.
Root slipped into second place in the all time run scorers today, jumping over Dravid, Kallis and Ponting in the same innings.
There’s a lot of speculation over whether he’ll get the runs to overtake Tendulkar, but it’s looking more and more likely. If he stays fit and plays another 3 or 4 years, he’ll get there.
ENG v IND Day4
Well after @Mighty_Mouse 's dream comes true as ENG advance remorselessly to a lead of 311, then Gill comes out to bat in the first over by Woakes to face the hat trick.
I think I can hear the soprano clearing her throat.
Tragic life of a middle aged Pakistan supporter. Only dreams we have is of our old enemy beating up our new enemy. While the successors of Imran, Wasim and Waqar are being spanked by Bangladesh.
Having lost 2, Gill and Rahul bat through the rest of the day without much drama. England still firmly on top, with India needing to bat well still to even make England bat again. Bit there will be a little hope they can draw
IND are going to need to bat min two sessions and get 150 ahead to save this. They aren’t batting with sufficient urgency to do that. 80 overs in the day to go and still 120 in arrears. They have just lost Rahul to a ball which stayed low. Gill has been lidded with a flyer. And while an uninhibited Pant could do that in Boys Own Annual style, he’s had three days with a fractured tarsal. So he’ll be medically enhanced.
ENG have burnt their reviews so it’s going to be a grind. (for the participants, for the mere viewers it might be engrossing)
It’s days like this I really appreciate Test Match Special on the radio. I don’t necessarily want to watch every ball of a gritty rear guard fight for a draw, but on the radio I can get on with my day and still follow the ebb and flow.
Which is great, because I absolutely love gritty drawn out rear guard fights for the draw. Quick fire centuries are fun of course but a ground out 235 ball 100 by a young captain is one of sports greatest feats of concentration skill and nerve and while I want England to win and specifically Archer to take wickets I also want to see the hard yards slowly reeled in.
England bowling has been shown up a little here. Archer has done ok, Stokes has pushed himself to the limit, but Woakes has been largely ineffectual all series. Tongue and Carse have shown flashes at times, but they don’t look like a bowling attack.
There’s another game in this series, although it seems unlikely Pant or Bumrah will play. As this draw plays out, I just want to gnash my teeth in general direction of Jadeja, who’s been a thorn in England side for years.
200 runs partnership by two left handlers in Jadeja/Washington Washington on a 5th day pitch with some useful footmarks to work with isn’t going to do Mr Dawson’s Test career much good either.
Someone is going to create a sock account to come after me for this, but I’m 100% with Jadeja and Washington Sundar on this. There’s no way I’m shaking hands on 95 and 91 when we’ve just batted four hours to save a test that was dead and buried when I came in to bat.
Maybe a day late and a dollar short, but his batting today will definitely be appreciated if India can salvage a series draw. Good thing for India is that they didn’t have to bowl a 2nd innings, so maybe a better chance to have a relatively fresh Bumrah available.
Yeah, of course they should have got their centuries. If, and I don’t actually know how they feel about it, but if England didn’t like it they could always have taken their wickets.