NEW DELHI: Joe Root was at his imperious best at Old Trafford as he rewrote record books on his way to a majestic 150 off 248 deliveries, anchoring England into a position of strength on Day 2 of the fourth Test against India. Displaying his trademark composure and technical finesse, Root stitched a crucial 142-run stand with skipper Ben Stokes, which put England firmly in control after a dominant start by the openers.
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Stokes, who began cramping towards the end of the third session, had to retire hurt on 72 but returned to the crease after the dismissal of Root, who fell to Ravindra Jadeja trying to accelerate the scoring. The England captain resumed his innings with caution and guided his side safely to Stumps alongside Liam Dawson, as England finished the day with a significant first-innings lead in sight.
But the real platform for England’s ascendancy was laid at the top, thanks to a clinical 166-run opening partnership between Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett. Both batters looked untroubled against an Indian bowling attack that lacked discipline and consistency. Despite minimal movement from the surface, Indian pacers and spinners alike failed to maintain control, repeatedly straying onto the pads and offering width, allowing the English openers to collect boundaries with ease.
Duckett played a typically brisk innings, exploiting every loose delivery, while Crawley showed patience and control, playing with soft hands and rotating strike efficiently. Their stand demoralised the Indian fielders early on, setting the tone for the day.
INDIA’S 1st INNING
Earlier, India were bowled out for 358 in their first innings, a total that, at one point, looked like it could go well past 400. Yashasvi Jaiswal and debutant Sai Sudharsan impressed with half-centuries, but a middle-order collapse undid the early momentum. England’s decision to bowl first on a slightly greenish track paid dividends, with Ben Stokes rolling back the years to claim his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket after eight years. His fiery spell, laced with short balls and clever variations, dismantled the Indian tail.
While India’s total was competitive, the lack of sustained pressure with the ball has allowed England to seize the initiative. With Root in form, Stokes back at the crease, and Dawson settling in, the visitors now face the daunting task of clawing their way back into the match on Day 3.
India will hope for early breakthroughs in the morning session to restrict England’s lead and reassert themselves in the contest. But for now, it’s the home side who are firmly in command — thanks to a vintage Joe Root display and an all-round clinical batting effort.
