India’s captain Shubman Gill has now scored his nine Test hundred—his latest in this fourth Test at Old Trafford against England. On Day 5, he was back at the crease with KL Rahul. Rahul fell for 90, nervous nineties ending with a Ben Stokes delivery that stayed low . Despite this loss, Gill continued with calm and composure.
Earlier, India had collapsed early in the second innings, losing openers Sai Sudharsan and Yashasvi Jaiswal for 0/2, but Gill and Rahul stitched a vital 174‑run partnership, reviving India’s hopes, leaving them 137 runs behind England at stumps on Day 4 .
In the first innings, India were bowled out for a modest 368, far short of England’s towering 669, powered by centuries from Ben Stokes (141) and Joe Root (150) .
So on this final day, India still trails by around 110–137 runs, needing long, patient batting to set a target and save the match. Gill remains the key—he has already passed 700 runs in this England series, the first Asian batter ever to do so, playing with notable resilience under pressure .
Washington Sundar joined Gill after Rahul’s dismissal. India will need more support from their middle order to build a defendable total. England, meanwhile, will press hard for the new ball in search of wickets and a series‑clinching win.
Final‑Day Focus:
- India: Bat patiently, build big partnerships, set a target.
- England: Maintain pressure, use new ball wisely to break Gill or Sandar.
- The match is finely poised. India’s only chance now is sheer patience, mental strength, and staying at the crease as long as possible.
