MANCHESTER: For a change, weather Gods decided to be kind to Shubman Gill and Co as overcast conditions on Saturday morning gave their pacers a chance to strike early on Day 4 of the fourth Test here at the Old Trafford Ground. Pacer spearhead Jasprit Bumrah started the proceedings for them with Mohammed Siraj for his company from the Brian Statham End.
It didn't take Bumrah long to give India their first success of the day as he cleaned up Liam Dawson in the fifth over of the day. It didn't bounce as much as the batter expected and the ball clipped the bails even before he could bring his bat to defend. Before the wicket, captain Gill had already replaced Siraj with Washington Sundar from the Sir James Anderson End and did the same with Bumrah after a short spell of five overs. Siraj replaced him from that end.
But with their skipper Ben Stokes at the crease, England were unfazed with the fall of the wicket early in the morning. Stokes first completed his century guiding a Siraj's delivery on the pads to the fine square leg for a four. It was Stokes' first century in the format since that fighting 155-run knock against Australia at the Lord's Test in June 2023. That century might not have helped his team win the match then but the knock here at Manchester has certainly put England in the driver's seat. The all-rounder then smashed Washington for a six and a four off the consecutive deliveries in his bid to accelerate the run rate.
Stokes then targetted Ravindra Jadeja as he first smashed him for a four and cleared extra cover boundary for a six by charging out of his crease the very next ball. By then the lead had swelled to 275. Brydon Carse joined the party the next over bowled by Washington. The all-rounder first slogged the ball to the midwicket boundary for a four and followed it up with a six in the same direction.
Given the approach the duo adopted, England accumulated 104 runs in the first 19 overs at a run rate of around 5.5. England had scored 391 runs for the loss of five wickets on Friday taking a lead of 186 runs. But they changed their style of play completely the next morning in their bid to score quick runs and set India a big target.
Interestingly, the overcast conditions gave way to a bright and sunny day as Stokes and Carse went on with their business of hammering Indian bowlers with disdain. Stokes then hit Jadeja for a six but perished the next ball as B Sai Sudharsan held a catch at the boundary.
Brydon Carse was the last England wicket to fall as Jadeja claimed his fourth wicket of the innings. If Day 3 belonged to Root, the following day of play was Stokes' affair. After his five-wicket haul, Stokes made 141 off 198 balls which included 11 fours and three sixes to bring the game entirely in control of the hosts.