MANCHESTER: India must be a worried lot at tea on the third day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford here. England were threatening to run away with a strong total in their first innings against India on Friday. The weather too remained ideal for batting and except for the variable bounce, the Indian bowlers did not trouble the batters much.
After a disappointing show with both bat and ball on Thursday (Day 2), India needed to make early inroads to get back into the contest. Just before tea, Joe Root scored a trademark century of his with little risk. The whole stadium burst into life. England reached 433 for 4 and has taken a healthy 75-tun lead.
He not only scored his 38th hundred but also surpassed Ricky Ponting to become the second-highest run-scorer in Test history. The whole stadium stood up once again to acknowledge this feat. Root was batting on 121 along with skipper Ben Stokes (36 batting) and both the batters added 84 runs until the break.
Earlier, India pacers led by Jasprit Bumrah looked disciplined contrary to how they performed a day before but wickets eluded them as England reached 332/2 in 74 overs by lunch with overnight batters Ollie Pope (70 off 123) and Joe Root (115-ball 63) still at the crease.
India skipper Shubman Gill started with bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur. Bumrah bowled the last over of Day 2 from the Sir James Anderson End. Gill might have wanted the pace spearhead to bowl from the Pavilion End, which apparently was offering more bounce. He along with Mohammed Siraj bowled tight lengths but could not get the breakthrough India desperately needed.
Meanwhile, with his fifty Root surpassed the likes of Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis to become the third leading scorer in Test history. Pope also completed his 25th half-century. He along with Root has added an unbeaten 135-run partnership for the team at lunch. (which was later broken by Washington Sundar post Lunch)
The duo batted flawlessly for 28 overs with the only real chance coming up when a mix-up made them stranded at one end. Ravindra Jadeja's throw from point did not hit the stumps but he and Siraj were both not happy as none of the players came up to the stumps. Pope also edged a ball when he was on 48 but substitute wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, who was standing up to the stumps, could not latch on to it.
