Openers power England to commanding position in Manchester

England dominated Day 2 of the fourth Test against India, placing themselves in the driver’s seat in Manchester.

After taking the remaining six wickets to bowl India out for 358 in the second session, openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley led the charge with a commanding 166-run partnership, reducing the deficit to just 133 runs at stumps.

India started the day at 264/4, with Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur at the crease. England, eager to inflict early damage, took the new ball and their persistence paid off when Jadeja nicked one off Jofra Archer, with Harry Brook taking a sharp catch in the slips.

Washington Sundar and Thakur then steadied the innings with a well-composed 48-run partnership before the latter was dismissed for a well-made 41. Rishabh Pant showcased immense bravery, coming out to bat despite battling a fractured right foot, and brought up a fighting half-century.

However, India’s lower order offered little resistance to Ben Stokes, who ran through the tail with an impressive spell claiming his first five-wicket haul since 2017.

England got off to a blazing start in their innings, with Crawley and Duckett aggressively taking on the Indian bowlers and piling up runs at a rapid pace. The pair remained unbeaten at tea, racing to 77 runs in just 14 overs. India finally broke the partnership when Jadeja induced an edge from Crawley’s bat, with KL Rahul taking a clean catch in the slips, sending the opener back for a brisk 84.

Soon after Anshul Kamboj claimed his maiden Test wicket by dismissing Duckett on 94, who fell short of a well-deserved century.

New batter Joe Root, along with Ollie Pope, then negotiated a testing late spell from Jasprit Bumrah to see out the day, with England finishing on 225/2.