England Seizes Control Despite Pant's Heroics
A day that began with an extraordinary display of courage from Rishabh Pant ended with England in a commanding position in the fourth Test. While Pant’s bravery provided an emotional lift, India’s bowlers failed to capitalise, allowing England’s openers to erase a large portion of the deficit and finish the day on a dominant 225 for 2.
Pant's Gutsy Stand and a Captain's Five-For
The morning session was electrified by the sight of Rishabh Pant, who, despite a fractured toe that requires six weeks of rest, walked out to bat. Putting his body on the line, he scored a remarkable 54, helping push India’s first-innings total to a competitive 358. His effort was a moment of pure inspiration, but it was Ben Stokes who starred with the ball for England, claiming his first five-wicket haul in eight years to restrict the visitors.
England's Openers Dominate
In response, England’s openers Ben Duckett (94) and Zak Crawley (84) were simply outstanding. They launched a blistering counter-attack, putting on a 166-run partnership at more than five runs per over. India’s bowling was erratic and failed to find the right lengths on a pitch that still offered assistance. Duckett and Crawley punished the wayward lines, scoring freely on both sides of the wicket and seizing the momentum for their team.
Though India managed to claim the wickets of both openers late in the day, the damage was already done. England ended the day trailing by only 133 runs with eight wickets in hand. India's bowlers now face an immense challenge on day three to prevent England from building a match-winning first-innings lead.
