Morning Session: England resume at 225/2, India under pressure
Root and Pope Dominate 4th Test Against India England began Day 3 trailing India’s first‑innings total of 358 by 133 runs, with Joe Root and Ollie Pope unbeaten at the crease and having laid a solid 225/2 platform. The surface looked benign under clear skies, offering a flat, batting‑friendly track with variable bounce that had troubled bowlers earlier
India’s captain Shubman Gill opened the attack with Shardul Thakur, likely as a tactical shift, before bringing on his spear bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj to exploit early movement and moisture Despite the conditions, the Indian bowlers struggled—Siraj bowled 10 overs for 58 runs without a wicket and lost his cool briefly, prompting on‑field intervention after a heated exchange with Ben Duckett
Root and Pope Dominate 4th Test Against India India also used one of their reviews early on, unsuccessfully appealing against Root for LBW; ball-tracking showed it was missing the leg stump, and the review was wasted
Mid‑morning into Lunch: Piggybacking momentum
Root and Pope Dominate 4th Test Against India The opening pair began cautiously both batters playing out the first 20–30 minutes to settle in. Root moved elegantly, while Pope showed signs of growing confidence even surviving a top‑edge chance off Bumrah that fell just short of silly point
As play progressed, both batters found rhythm. Root caressed a sublime back‑foot punch for four off Bumrah, equalling legendary Jacques Kallis’s tally of 13,289 Test runs, simultaneously surpassing Rahul Dravid to assume his place in the all‑time list By the time the session ended, England had moved past ENG 246/2
Root and Pope Dominate 4th Test Against India India continued to search for breakthroughs but lacked discipline and precision most deliveries strayed in line or were loose, allowing England to score freely
Lunch and Afternoon: Building the lead
Root and Pope Dominate 4th Test Against India Post-lunch, Root and Pope accelerated. England passed the 250-mark, edging closer to overtaking India’s first‑innings and building beyond. Root brought up another milestone: becoming the third-highest run‑scorer in Test history on the way to a rare record at Old Trafford over 1,000 Test runs at this venue
They added a critical 50‑plus partnership—though not marshalling massive scorches yet, their intent and control made it clear they intended to bat deep. At ENG ~259/2 after 57 overs, Pope was 31* and Root on 30* when they reached stumps, just trailing India by about 100 runs at the mid‑afternoon break
Root and Pope Dominate 4th Test Against India India steadily depleted their overs bowlers—Thakur, Bumrah, Siraj, and even Ravindra Jadeja were thrown the ball in search of breakthroughs. Jadeja, who had troubled Pope the previous evening, churned in some tidy overs but wickets remained elusive
Personnel and squad notes
Root and Pope Dominate 4th Test Against India
- Playing XIs: England: Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes (c), Smith (wk), Dawson, Woakes, Carse, Archer. India: Jaiswal, Rahul, Sudharsan, Gill (c), Pant (wk), Jadeja, Sundar, Thakur, Kamboj, Bumrah, Siraj
- Rishabh Pant, nursing a fractured right foot, bravely scored a half‑century (54 off 75) in India’s first innings and is unlikely to feature further in this match; Tamil Nadu’s N. Jagadeesan is expected to join the squad as a replacement
- Anshul Kamboj, the debutant, had dismissed Duckett (94) in the previous innings, but failed to make much impact today
Tactical analysis and key issues
- Indian bowling inconsistency: The main problem again was poor execution straying lines and erratic lengths gifted runs. Siraj and Bumrah lacked assistance from the pitch, and their opening spells were largely pedestrian
- Failed reviews and field lapses: India burned one review early, and there were reports of a ‘fielding blunder’ gifting Root a reprieve. Meanwhile Siraj’s frustration peaked in a verbal confrontation, exposing pressure mounting on India’s unit
- England’s pitch mastery and composure: Root and Pope judged conditions impeccably. Root, in particular, mixed watchfulness with elegance, while Pope grew in confidence even though he fell short of conversion, their partnership nullified India’s early potential advantage.
- Captaincy & bowling choices: Gill’s decision to open with Thakur before switching back to his main bowlers was questioned. Shardul Thakur later暗ly criticized Gill for limited bowling opportunities given in general, suggesting intra-team frustration over utilization
What’s at stake for Day 4
Root and Pope Dominate 4th Test Against India
- England will resume needing a modest 133-run deficit to clear India’s total, with eight wickets in hand well placed to extend their lead beyond 250–300 runs before launching a second‑innings attack.
- India urgently needs early breakthroughs in the morning session to regain control. Successive wickets of Pope and Root can swing momentum.
- The wicket is expected to deteriorate in coming sessions, leading to inconsistent bounce and variable pace. That may eventually assist spinners, especially Jadeja and Sundar, but only after damage is reversed upfront.
- If England bat deep tomorrow, they could bat India out of the contest and close the series.
Root and Pope Dominate 4th Test Against India Day 4 will thus be pivotal: will England push for an innings victory and seal the series, or can India clamp down early to keep alive the pursuit of a draw (and series extension)?
Summary Table
Root and Pope Dominate 4th Test Against India
| Session | Score (ENG) | Highlights |
| Overnight | 225/2 | Root and Pope unbeaten, trail by 133 |
| Morning | ~245/2 | Slow consolidation; India fail to strike early |
| Afternoon (pre‑stumps) | ~259/2 | England beyond 250, Root climbs all‑time list; India still hunting wickets |
Final takeaway
Root and Pope Dominate 4th Test Against India Day 3 belonged to England. Their openers turned overnight caution into control, extending the innings through composure and well‑judged aggression. Root was the architect passing personal milestones in the process and Pope quietly complemented the effort. Meanwhile, India’s bowling performance fell short both in execution and in temperament. They lacked penetration and discipline, costing them the early swing. With Batting-friendly conditions, no early inroads, and wasted reviews, India will have to regroup overnight.
Root and Pope Dominate 4th Test Against India The stage is set for Day 4: England has the upper hand and can bat India out; India desperately needs breakthroughs before the pitch offers full assistance to the bowlers. The pressure now shifts squarely onto India’s shoulders.