IND vs ENG 1st Test: India reach 95/3 at tea, need 136 runs to win

KL Rahul, Axar Patel (Pic: AFP)

The Indian top order struggled against the debutant left-spinner Tom Hartley on a slow turner pitch. The hosts were 95 for three at tea on the fourth day of the IND vs ENG 1st Test.

KL Rahul and Axar Patel are in the middle chasing the target of 231. England who scored 420 in their second innings was assisted by Ollie Pope's 196 runs. India still needs 136 runs to win.

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However, India's chase started in a solid fashion with skipper Rohit Sharma (39) and his opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal (15) adding 42 fuss-free runs in 11.4 overs.

Rohit even played a couple of sweeps and reverse sweeps to tackle the England tweakers, but the first hint of trouble came when Jaiswal was snaffled by Hartley (3/31).

After spotting the advancing Jaiswal, the left-arm spinner pulled his length back and the opener could only spoon a simple catch to Pope at a silly point.

Two balls later, Hartley dismissed Shubman Gill, who is currently struggling with his form in the longest format of the game.

Hartley tossed the ball on the off stump to which Shubman Gill's half-hearted approach engaged Pope at the silly point.

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But a rude shock was awaiting them as Hartley soon won a leg-before appeal against Rohit, whose attempt to play for turn brought disaster.

However, KL Rahul and Axar Patel were promoted ahead of Shreyas Iyer at number 5.

Ollie Pope's stupendous 196-run knock helped England set a fighting target for India to chase down in the fourth innings. Pope' 196 propped up England who resumed from 316 on the fourth day of the IND vs ENG 1st Test.

But the lack of a Plan B was evident in the way the Indians bowled, often straying to the pads or drifting way outside the off-stump to give freebies for the Englishmen to feed on.

But Pope was not complaining either as he merrily added to the total as England flew past 400 runs in their second innings. It was only the second time a team managed to go past that mark in the second innings in India since 2012. Alastair Cook's England did that in Ahmedabad.

Pope was shouldered by Hartley in the innings built-up. The duo made a run-stand of 80 runs off just 106 balls. They executed the pre-set strategy of playing a variety of sweeps to perfection to keep the Indians a befuddled lot.

It required a shooter from Ashwin to snap the stand. Hartley stayed back to play a length ball from the off-spinner but the ball kept low to beat his defence to smash onto the stumps' base.From there India managed to eke out a couple of quick wickets, including that of Pope to bring curtains to England's innings.

Fittingly, Bumrah, best among India's bowlers, ended his stay with a slower ball that dishevelled the stumps as Pope tried a reverse scoop. Lead pacer Bumrah also fetched first breakthrough for India in the morning session of the fourth day of the IND vs ENG 1st Test.

Ahmed, who till then showed admirable self-restraint, chased a wide one from Bumrah to give a regulation catch to KS Bharat behind the stumps. However, Ahmed had helped Pope to make 64 runs for the seventh wicket that extended England's lead.

(With PTI Inputs)