With India just 137 in the arrears and KL Rahul (87 no) and Shubman Gill (78 no), putting on 174-2 after a 0-2 nightmare start, Day 5 once again starts as one full of possibilities.
While England reckon they are in a good position, record scores Joe Root added that it was anything but a foregone conclusion given how India are capable of fighting. The Old Trafford track though is prone to spicing things up given its nature.
“Hopefully we see wicket starts to deteriorate a little more. It started to happen yesterday,” Root told Michael Atherton on Sky Cricket after Saturday’s end of play. “Generally the trend at Old Trafford is it deteriorates a lot quicker on day 4 and 5. So clearly we got bit of runs in the bag.”
However India have proven to be stubborn opponents, and it won’t be surprising if Root himself turns his arm or Brydon Carse is required to summon extra powers, should the two oaks Stokes and Woakes, not find success. “It can be quite tricky batting last and the Indian team throughout this series and throughout this match have shown a lot of fight. Great determination. Rishabh batted with a broken foot,” Root told Sky, declaring, “They are not going to go away. We’re gonna have to play some really good stuff. But clearly in a very good position.”
Root also lauded the English openers who despite being under intense trolling pressure after low scores delivered when it mattered. “Really good position. The speed at which openers scored has put us in a much stronger position. It was quite slow scoring out there, slow outfield slow wicket. So the fact that they managed to get things going as quickly as they did on Day 3…” said Root.
Anticipated rains could also aid India, and leave the series alive for the Oval. Given Stokes, who scored his 14th century, didn’t bowl on Day and had left midway through his batting to tend to a cramp, India will fancy their chances.
The Old Trafford pitch can keep low like in case of Dawson’s wicket, but Carse and Stokes also put on 95 for the ninth wicket meaning batsmen can grind it out. England had posted their highest total ever at Old Trafford, so all in all the flat pitch is conducive for batting.
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Nasser Hussain said the spectre of a hobbling Rishabh Pant hung over England.
“At 0-2, there was probably very little chance of Pant coming out to bat, but if India get close and ahead then he will be hobbling down the steps,” Hussain told Sky.
“He is an absolute streetfighter and will try to survive, so England will need eight wickets not seven and this pitch is not wearing that much. England have got a lot of work to do – but there is still plenty of time. You have to work hard for Test victories and you are playing against India, who are still in this series and are not going to roll over. Indian batters love batting and will not give you their wicket,” he told Sky.
