Ben Duckett enabled England deliver a potential knock-out punch to India with a sizzling 94 as the hosts punished a wayward pace attack to end on 225 for two at stumps on day two of the fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester on Thursday.
Openers Duckett (94 off 100) and Zak Crawley (84 off 113) added 166 off 192 balls to put India on the backfoot after the visitors did well to post 358 in the afternoon session.
Coming out to bat despite a broken foot, Pant’s courageous 54 off 75 balls fuelled India past 350 on a pitch with plenty of seam movement.
However, the Indian pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and debutant Anshul Kamboj was not accurate enough to trouble the England openers who returned to their aggressive ways after shifting gears at Lord’s.
Far too many freebies were offered on the leg side and England openers, especially Duckett, were happy to oblige. England scored at close to five runs per over while India struck at little over three.
It was turning out to be a forgettable debut for Kamboj, a last-minute addition to India’s injury-hit squad, before he had the dangerous Duckett caught behind with a length ball that bounced a bit more than usual.
India’s seam bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur leaked runs, summing up an ordinary day for the quicks in general.
England openers batted in sunshine while majority of India’s innings was played under overcast conditions. Having said that, due credit should go to Duckett and Crawley, who potentially gave England a decisive advantage in series they lead 2-1.
In the second session, Pant struck a courageous fifty on a broken foot while England captain Ben Stokes took his first five-wicket haul in eight years to restrict India to 358 all out.
The highlight of the session was Pant making a plucky half-century despite struggling to walk in the middle.
Pant sensationally smashed a slower ball from Jofra Archer for a six between mid-wicket and square leg before driving Ben Stokes from the crease for a boundary through cover for a memorable half-century, drawing a standing ovation from a packed stadium.
When Archer finally found Pant’s stumps with a peach, the significance of Pant’s courageous knock was not lost even on the opposition with Joe Root patting the Indian for his valiant effort.
Stokes had Kamboj caught behind to complete his five-wicket haul.
In the morning session, Pant remarkably came out to bat with a fractured foot while Shardul showed plenty of resolve to take India to 321 for six at lunch.
Resuming the day at 264 for four, India did well to cross the 300-run mark in overcast conditions that offered plenty of seam and swing to the England pacers especially Jofra Archer, who was effectively unplayable for majority of his opening spell.
England Ben Stokes got the odd ball to jump from length, creating more challenges for the Indian batters.
Chris Woakes took the new ball immediately but it was in following over from Archer that England got the early breakthrough.
The in-form Ravindra Jadeja (20 off 40) could not do much off an Archer beauty that shaped away after landing on the leg-stump to take the outside edge with Harry Brook holding on to a low catch at second slip.
With the ball doing all sorts of tricks, Shardul (41 off 88 ) looked to attack and dispatched Woakes off the backfoot in the cover region for a fine boundary.
Minutes later, Shardul creamed a full ball from Stokes through the cover a ball after getting a snorter from the England captain that almost kissed his glove.
Stokes managed to get rid of Indian all-rounder eventually by luring him into the drive and getting his caught at gully by Ben Duckett, who pouched the flying ball.
Much to the shock of everyone present at the ground, Pant limped out to bat following Shardul’s fall. A standing ovation followed.
Despite a broken right foot, Pant made a courageous call to face the England pacers. He could barely complete his singles but the fact that he was in the centre said a lot about his grit and character.
Early lunch was taken when light rain returned to Old Trafford in fading light.
Brief scores: India 1st innings: 358 all out in 114.1 overs (Sai Sudharsan 61, Yashasvi Jaiswal 58, Rishabh Pant 54, Shardul Thakur 41; Ben Stokes 5/72).
England 1st innings: 225/2 in 46 overs (Ben Duckett 94, Zak Crawley 84).
