Hello and welcome to Sportstar's HIGHLIGHTS of the fourth day of the fifth Test between India and England from Edgbaston in Birmingham.
ENGLAND 259/3 IN 57 OVERS AT STUMPS (Root 76*, Bairstow 72*; Bumrah 2-53)
End of the day and it seems like England have pulled away right when it mattered. After a blistering opening partnership from Lees and Crawley, India struck three quick blows which brought in Root and Bairstow together. They rode the storm and soon punched back to almost bat India out of the game. England needs just 119 runs in the final day and India would need an almighty comeback to win this series. Will be bringing you all the updates of the final day of this almost year-long series.
ENG 250 - 3 (57 overs): Even the ridiculously consistent Shami seems lost for ideas. Root and Bairstow have consolidated England's position. Bumrah takes up the opportunity to get a final crack at these two as the end of the day is here. Root brings in the 150-run partnership with a pull shot. Bairstow lets the last ball go and that is it for the fourth day.
ENG 254 - 3 (55 overs): India's only hope would be to minimise their damage today and then bet on the morning conditions coupled with the rested limbs of their bowlers tomorrow. Siraj resorts to a short bowling strategy and Bairstow humoured him enough before smacking one into the stands. SIX . Siraj's economy has been consistently above six this innings. A little talk about Siraj creeping into the middle of the pitch during his follow-through. But he is fine. Bumrah opts to bring himself back, this time from the other end. He draws a mistake from Bairstow, but even that goes for a FOUR . Thickish outside edge dribbles to the third man boundary.
ENG 236 - 3 (53 overs): Root finesses one through the cover for FOUR after Bumrah pitches it up. The Indian side looks deflated in the face of this relentless English chase. They need just 150 more runs to get this over with. It is Bairstow's turn to get to his 50. His golden streak shows no signs of stopping and he celebrates by getting another four . Cuts one behind the square off Shami.
ENG 222 - 3 (51 overs): Bumrah has had enough of it. Brings himself back onto the attack and gets more bounce from the pitch than anyone else. Beats Root twice in two balls. But even he can't get through this partnership. Shami comes in from the other end. Bairstow fed with a hit-me ball on the off and he threads it through the infield for a FOUR . Shami goes past Bairstow's outside edge. But the Indian bowling has lost its sharpness.
ENG 213 - 3 (49 overs): Pant almost makes a game-defining catch. He couldn't grip onto a Bairstow flick off Thakur down the leg side, although he had extended himself to the limit. England has been in absolute control of this chase, except for a brief period of madness, courtesy of Bumrah Brilliance and suicidal running. Root and Bairstow deal with yet another Jadeja over, who chose to change his bowling angle
ENG 206 - 3 (47 overs): Root gets to his 50 with a single off Thakur. The former skipper has taken up the responsibility in this chase and would love to get his team to the end. England soon reaches the 200-mark . Just 178 runs to go from here. Jadeja gives Root some room to work with and he punishes him by putting him through the covers for a FOUR .
ENG 196 - 3 (45 overs): Siraj continues to get punished. This time it is Bairstow who pulls one for a four. But Siraj almost strikes back instantly. Gets one to jag back in and it takes a bite of Bairstow's inside edge and his pad but misses the stumps fractionally. SO CLOSE. The English duo have pushed their side to a comfortable territory in this chase and it would require an incredible effort from India to claw their way back into this game now.
ENG 187 - 3 (43 overs): England needs less than 200 runs and the improbable looks closer and closer. Root has taken charge of this chase and has been more aggressive in this partnership. Thakur appeals for an LBW but never looked to have convinced the umpire nor his skipper. Clear inside edge on to the pads. Thakur misses his line and Bairstow punishes him by flicking him off his pads for a FOUR.
ENG 176 - 3 (41 overs): England's chase is back and running after a minor hiccup. Root and Bairstow are getting comfortable in the crease and Bumrah would be looking to break this partnership before it makes a huge dent into the target. Siraj keeps on missing his mark and Root punishes him again. Drifted into the pads and flicked away for a four . Bumrah turns to serial partnership breaker Shardul Thakur in hope. He bowls a sharp over but no wickets to take home.
ENG 166 - 3 (39 overs): Bairstow creams the incoming Siraj through covers for a FOUR . Siraj has been expensive throughout this game. But he forces a mistake from Bairstow. Unfortunately for him, it went rapidly to Vihari, who spills it and it runs away for a FOUR . Root goes for an innovative reverse hit, but he misses it. Half-hearted appeals for a caught behind but no reaction from the umpire. Root goes for the conventional sweep next up and connects well this time. He is rewarded with a FOUR this time.
ENG 149 - 3 (37 overs): Shami deceives Bairstow with an away swinger and forces a play-and-miss. England has stabilised their chase after being rocked by the loss of three quick wickets. Root paddle sweeps Jadeja and gets a four . He repeats the shot soon, but gets a lucky edge and adds another FOUR to the tally.
ENG 138 - 3 (35 overs): Shami bowls a sharp over and strikes Root on the pads again. But Bumrah decides to hold on to the last review. It might have been drifting down the leg stump. Bairstow is being tested by Jadeja's nagging leg stump line. Something's got to give soon.
ENG 137 - 3 (33 overs): Shami gets a crack and Root guides his first ball to the fence with a cut shot. But he swings one back in and strikes Root. It looked extremely close and India opts for a review. But the ball appears to have bounced over. Another review lost. Root then dispatches one from his sights with a glorious leg drive. Runs are flowing for England and Bumrah is not too far way from getting a little panicky.
ENG 128 - 3 (31 overs): Bumrah dishes a loosener onto Root's pads and he flicks it with ease. FOUR. He draws an inside endge out of roombut no damage caused. Bairstow digs out yet another yorker and gets through the over. The odd ball is dipping for Jadeja. He strikes Root on the front and pushes for a review and gets one. But the ball had pitched outside the leg stump and there goes a review wasted for the Indian side.
ENG 122 - 3 (29 overs): Bumrah keeps the English batters on their toes. The captain is leafing from the front. A yorker followed soon by a bouncer and it is the end of yet another brilliant over from the Indian captain. Surviving the Bumrah storm should be priority number one for the English duo. Jadeja continue to pitch it on the rough outside leg and test the resolve of Bairstow. The English batter holds his composure, for now.
ENG 117 - 2 (27 overs): Bumrah gets his go at Bairstow. The skipper would know how significant his wicket is. There are signs of uneven bounce and Indian bowlers would love to cash in on it. Bairstow tries to flick away Bumrah's last ball of the over, only for a flying Pant to intercpet it. Jadeja continues his ploy of bowling into the rough and Root is forced to use his pads to play out the over.
ENG 110 - 3 (25 overs): Bumrah keeps up the intensity. Joe Root is forced to fend off a toe crusher soon after he comes in. Jadeja is reintroduced and the momentum stolen by India does the trick. Root goes for a non-existent single throwing Lees to the danger end. All Shami had to do was pass it on to Jadeja and he wasn't going to fumble that. England loses their third. Lees is run out.
Alex Lees run out (Mohammed Shami/Jadeja) 56 (65b)
Bairstow makes it intention clear with a supremely timed FOUR.
ENG 107 - 2 (23.1 overs): Bumrah's golden game continues. He dangles one outiside off and Pope goes for a half-hearted shot. Nicks it to Pant and he is gone. That is the perfect start for India.
Ollie Pope c Pant b Bumrah 0 (3b)
Bumrah to start the proceedings after tea. India would be hoping for better returns in this session.
ENGLAND 107/1 IN 23 OVERS AT TEA (Lees 56*, Pope 0*; Bumrah 1-23)
ENG 107 - 1 (23 overs): Shami from the other end. Beats Lees on the drive wide outside off first ball. Suddenly Indian bowlers have their tails up after that wicket. Nips in from outside off and beats Lees on the drive again. Maiden over and that will be Tea.
ENG 107 - 1 (22 overs): Bumrah into the attack for what could be the final over before Tea. Short of a length but angling down leg first ball and Lees tucks it behind for a single. Crawley defends solidly from the crease. OUT! Bumrah strikes as Crawley leaves this one on a tight off-stump line but the ball comes in a tad to hit top of off. India has the breakthrough finally. Zak Crawley b Jasprit Bumrah 46(76b 7x4). Two yorkers to Pope to end the over.
ENG 104 - 0 (20 overs): The Indian quicks continue over-pitching and the openers continue cashing-in on the loose bowling. Thakur goes too full and straight again and Crawley serenely drives it down the ground for another four runs. Another boundary in the over. Slightly shorter outside off and Crawley comes forward to punch this through the covers for another four. Crawley has suddenly zoomed off to 44 off 65 balls, giving healthy competition to Lees. Siraj attacks the stumps a little more in this over. Crawley ventures out of his crease to negate the movement and misses a flick as the ball thuds high onto his thigh guard. The umpires checking the shape of the ball with the gauge and the ball slips through and they will continue with this red cherry. Whipped away by Crawley for a single through midwicket and 100 up for England in 19.5 overs without the loss of a wicket. On the pads and more agony for India as this runs away behind for four more.
ENG 90 - 0 (18 overs): Shardul Thakur into the attack after 16 overs. Full outside off and Crawley unleashes a glorious cover-drive for four runs. Raining boundaries here as Siraj this time goes fullish outside off and Crawley comes forward and drives through covers for another four. Back-to-back boundaries as this is full again and Crawley put his front foot across and flicks this to the midwicket fence.
50 up for Lees off 44 balls with a sweetly-timed push off the backfoot that runs through covers and beats Pujara's chase in the deep for four.
Chance here for India but Crawley holds on to dear life by the skin of his teeth. Gets an inside edge going for the reverse-sweep off Jadeja and the ball seems to have bounced off his boot and into the hands of short leg. The Indians are celebrating but Aleem Dar asks them to hold their horses and refers it upstairs with the soft signal out. However, the replay shows the ball just bounced on the pitch before ricocheting off the boot and it is enough to extend Crawley's stay at the crease.
ENG 69 - 0 (14 overs): Lees on the charge here. Slog sweeps Jadeja for four at the midwicket boundary. Siraj replaces Shami now. India urgently needs a wicket here otherwise Bazball is well on its way to rob it of a victory here. Lees guides wide length delivery through the gully region for four runs, unfazed by the change in bowling. Two runs from the Jadeja over. Lees stays back and uppercuts this wide and short ball from Siraj behind point for four runs and moves to 45 off 37 balls.
ENG 53 - 0 (10 overs) : Bumrah continues with his spell of inaccuary. Darts in two full toss in the ninth over as the openers collect three singles and a couple. Full from Shami next over and Crawley on-drives exquisitely for four runs, gently pushing the ball with full face of the bat. A couple of twos from the over on leg-side as Shami concedes eight from the over. England cruising at over five runs an over at this time. Jadeja into the attack for the ninth over as India begins to feel a little nervy. Lees steps out first ball of the over and hammers this down the ground for a boundary at long-off. Fetches the next one from far outside off to sweep and misses it. Not much turn for Jadeja in this over. Lees reverse-sweep the last ball for a four behind point to make it 10 runs from the over. England brings up 50 in nine overs. Shami continues from the other end. Length in the channel consistently and Crawley shoulders arms. Four dot balls. The fifth one nips in sharply from outside off and Crawley leaves again as the ball whizzes past the off stump. Driven back to the bowler for a dot to end.
ENG 30 - 0 (6 overs): Bumrah misses his line, strays on the pads and Lees clips it to the boundary behind for four runs. The runs are flowing here for England. Lees pushes one through the covers from the crease for two more. Short of a length this time in the channel and Lees lets it go. Beaten! Fuller on fourth stump line and hurtles past the outside edge as Lees goes for a straight drive and is beaten for the away movement. Tight over from Shami, just a single off Crawley's inside edge. Lees looks assured in his defence. Bumrah lets a couple of deliveries slip down leg-side, relieving the pressure built by the tighter balls on and around off-stump. Four runs to end the over with Crawley tucking a length ball going down leg side to the square-leg fence. Crawley gets three lucky runs as the ball runs to third man off the face of the bat. The batter was in two minds whether to play or leave.
ENG 9 - 0 (2 overs): Shami from the other end. Lees collects a couple off an inside edge behind square leg before charging down a bit and hacking across the line for a four through midwicket. Two more through covers with a gentle push.
ENG 1 - 0 (1 over): The Indian team breaks out of the huddle. Ready for a final push as it eyes a historic series win in England - the first since 2007. Dravid was captain then and is the coach now. Bumrah to Lees first ball from over the wicket. Short of a length angling across on off-stump and Lees defends it off the backfoot to cover for a quick single. Three slips and a gully for Crawley. Some shape away from Bumrah but Crawley lets this go wide outside off. This one shapes away after crossing the stumps and Pant tumbles to his right to collect this.
ENGLAND NEEDS 378 RUNS TO WIN
INDIA 245 ALL OUT IN 81.5 OVERS (Pujara 66, Pant 57; Stokes 4-33, Potts 2-50)
IND 245 - 10 (81.5 overs): No new ball as yet for England as Leach contiues. Just a couple of singles from the over. Siraj steps out to loft one to long-on but finds just one. Stokes continues with the old ball. SIX! Short and Bumrah hooks this over fine-leg for a maximum. OUT! Goes for the pull again but it doesn't go the distance and this is caught at fine-leg, just inside the boundary line. Jasprit Bumrah c Zak Crawley b Ben Stokes 7(20b 1x6).
IND 237 - 9 (80 overs): Jadeja appears to be a little stuck here and is unable to rotate strike. The lead is now 367 runs and India would want to push it to around 400 to sit comfortably on top of this game. Given the time remaining and England's much-touted Bazball approach, it would fancy pushing for the win. 14 balls and Bumrah is yet to get off the mark. Jadeja is farming the strike here. He flicks one off the pads to the deep square fielder but doesn't run. OUT! Gone next ball. Short-of-a-length delivery on a tight line just outside off-stump line. It jags in a bit and takes Jadeja's inside edge before crashing into the timber. Ravindra Jadeja b Ben Stokes 23(58b 1x4). Siraj the last man in. Two short ones first up. He hops and defends the first one before arching back to let the next one go. He nudges one to mid-off for a single and keeps strike. 80 overs up. Will England take the new ball?
IND 235 - 8 (78 overs): Leach from the other end. Jadeja presses forward to defend the first three outside off. Sweeps one behind to fine-leg for a single. One from the over. More of the short stuff from Stokes in the next over but the bouncer is given wide for height. Leach continues from the other end. There is a faint LBW shout as he tosses one up on leg-stump line and Bumrah misses the defensive shot, letting the ball hit his boot. In hindsight, England would regret not taking the review as this was hitting leg-stump straight on. Bumrah defends solidly from the crease before negotiating a short one next ball.
IND 230 - 8 (74 overs): Back after Lunch. Stokes to Jadeja from around the wicket. Jadeja punches off the backfoot for a single behind point for the first runs after the break. Goes short to Shami straightaway. OUT! Bouncer again and Shami gets the top edge on the pull to hand a straightforward catch at square leg. Mohammed Shami c Alex Lees b Ben Stokes 13(14b 2x4). Bumrah is in and defends the first one with a straight bat and holds the pose. Nasty bouncer to the Indian captain to end the over.
Shami and Jadeja play out the last over before Lunch without fuss. Shami's control over the pull shot has been a highlight. He pulls a short ball from Potts to fine leg for four. Shami's batting has improved leaps and bounds, against pace and spin. Jack Leach bowls one that is slightly short and wide; Shami cuts it through backward point to take India's lead to 350. He has been solid on the backfoot defence as well.
IND 212 - 7 (70 overs): Potts could've had a second wicket in the same over but Anderson dropped a tough chance of Jadeja at cover. He was on 10. Shami has joined Jadeja. Potts bowling short straightaway. Three men on the hook. WICKET! Potts sticks to the short ball ploy vs Thakur, who mistimes a pull to Crawley. Earlier, Thakur ducked into a Potts short ball and got hit on his helmet, flush in the grille. The physio had to tend to him. The previous ball had reared up from the back of a length, but this one kept a touch low. The uneven bounce will play on the mind of the England batters, who have to chase on this deteriorating surface.
IND 201 - 6 (66 overs): WICKET! (Pant ct Root b Leach 57) Leach has his man! Pant tries to play the reverse sweep but plays it straight to Joe Root at slip. Big breakthrough. Smiles all around the England camp. They know how big a breakthrough this is. In comes Shardul Thakur at No. 8. He is yet to get off the mark.
IND 198 - 5 (62 overs): Left-arm spinner Jack Leach comes into the attack. He replaces Broad. What does Pant do? He sweeps the first ball for four. Jadeja is off the mark with an outside edge that trickles down to third man for four. WICKET! (Iyer ct Anderson b Potts 19) The short ball ploy works. Shreyas Iyer has gifted his wicket to Potts and England. Just when these two batters were threatening to take the game away from England in the next half an hour, England have been handed a wicket on the platter. First-innings centurion Jadeja joins Pant. That will be drinks. India lead by 322 runs. Meanwhile, Pant reached his second FIFTY of the match with a boundary to fine leg, off Broad.
IND 178 - 4 (58 overs): Iyer plays a delectable drives off Potts for four. DROPPED! Pant drives at a full ball from Broad and Crawley at slip got one hand to the ball but couldn't cling on. Pant then attempts the reverse-ramp off Broad and misses! Meanwhile, Matthew Potts has replaced James Anderson. Off the third ball of the 56th over, Potts cut Iyer into half with one that came in sharply off the pitch. The cracks are now starting to open up slightly. The variable bounce notwithstanding, the pitch is still on the slower side. So, the batters have time to adjust to the short ball. England quicks know Iyer doesn't fancy the short ball. So, their ploy for now is simple: attack Iyer with the bouncer and have two men catching in the deep. In between, Iyer slashed at a wayward ball from Broad and hit it over gully for four.
IND 159 - 4 (54 overs): WICKET! ( Pujara ct Lees b Broad 66) England finally gave up on the Joe Root strategy and switched to Stuart Broad. The move pays off immediately as Pujara cuts one straight to backward point. Wicket against the run of play. Pujara falls for 66. Shreyas Iyer is the next man in and is immediately tested with the short ball. Leg slip's in for him. Both Anderson and Broad have the leg slip in place for Iyer, who has had his share of troubles against the short ball. He will be wary of that line of attack. But Pant has no such inhibitions as he pulls Anderson for another boundary.
IND 146 - 3 (50 overs): Root continues bowling slow and wide, tempting Pant, who square cuts him for four. Root's on perhaps with Pant in mind. Still hard to understand why England have begun the day with spin. Meanwhile, Pujara's back-foot punch makes an appearance early in the day as he hits Anderson through point for four. Next ball, he flicks Jimmy through midwicket for another boundary.
IND 126 - 3 (46 overs): Out come the Indian batters. Overcast conditions. James Anderson has the ball. Three slips in place. Pujara on strike. Early signs again of the two-paced nature of the pitch. Meanwhile, the third slip moves to gully for Pant. Just a single from the over.
Pujara and Pant will walk out to the middle soon. What will be a safe fourth innings target? 350? 400? 450?
14.35: England chased down 279, 299 and 296 against New Zealand recently. But against this superior bowling attack, anything in excess of 300, Bazball notwithstanding, will be a tough ask.
14.20: Pant and Pujara are like chalk and cheese. The former has brought the T20 flavoured incarnation to Tests while the latter's almost a curiosity to this generation that's bred on T20 cricket. While Pujara will resume on 50, Pant, on 30, will look to take the attack to England. India is 125 for three from 45 overs.
14:04 - Welcome back. India, 2-1 up in a series that was postponed last September, is eyeing its first triumph in England since 2007. India's lead is 207 with seven wickets in hand. The obdurate Pujara and flamboyant Pant would want to build on that lead.
HOW DAY 3 PANNED OUT
India remains in a dominant position in the fifth Test against England despite another century from Jonny Bairstow on day three at Edgbaston.- REPORT
MATCH TRIVIA
India has never won a Test at Edgbaston, losing six and drawing one on the 1986 tour.
Bumrah is the first fast bowler to captain India's Test team since Kapil Dev in 1987.
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