Pant injury alters tight first day of fourth Test

Fourth Rothesay Test, Emirates Old Trafford (day one of five)

India 264-4: Sudharsan 61, Jaiswal 58; Stokes 2-47

England: Yet to bat

England won the toss

Scorecard

England benefited from an injury to India's Rishabh Pant on a hard-fought opening day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford.

Pant had scored 37 in an important stand with Sai Sudharsan when he attempted a reverse sweep at Chris Woakes and was struck on the right foot. After treatment on the field, Pant retired hurt.

The recalled Sudharsan was making England pay for Jamie Smith's drop until he hooked Ben Stokes to long leg for 61.

That left India 264-4 at the close, with doubts over whether Pant can return in this innings or the rest of the match.

England are looking for the win that would seal the series, and captain Stokes took two important wickets after again choosing to field on winning a fourth successive toss.

Under a constantly cloudy sky and on a pitch that offered something throughout the day, India dug in - Yashasvi Jaiswal made a watchful 58, KL Rahul a typically correct 46. England were arguably a touch short with the new ball, then improved after lunch.

Chris Woakes was rewarded for a fine spell by an edge off Rahul, left-arm spinner Liam Dawson struck with his seventh ball after eight years out of Test cricket to remove Jaiswal, and Stokes had opposing captain Shubman Gill lbw playing no stroke.

Sudharsan was put down on 20 and rebuilt with Pant, whose exit was a breakthrough England desperately needed, albeit in unfortunate circumstances for the India wicketkeeper.

India must wonder what they have to do to win a toss. This is the 14th successive international in all formats the coin has landed against them.

Gill admitted he was unsure what to do, while Stokes reverted to his favourite method of fielding first. The England skipper often makes his decision in home Tests by looking at the overheads rather than the surface, and the Manchester sky was moody for most of the day.

Stokes, though, will need his team to defy history if they are to seal the series here. On 11 previous occasions when a captain has won the toss and chosen to field on this ground, not one have they won the Test.

How different England's day might have been had Smith held the straightforward chance off Sudharsan. It came in an afternoon session when England had the momentum of three wickets in 20 overs.

India have an anxious wait over key man Pant. Whereas he did not keep for most of the third Test at Lord's because of a finger injury, this looked more serious. He was clearly discomforted by the swelling on his foot and had to be stretchered from the field.

Bad light late in the day delayed England from taking the new ball. It will be available on Thursday morning, when the balance of power will perhaps be revealed.

All-rounder Stokes, trusting his body after three years dominated by injuries, has been England's best bowler in this series. No-one on either side has more than his 13 scalps.

Bounding in for 14 overs, the captain bowled with lively pace and enough movement to cause constant problems.

The lbw of Gill must have been sweet after the India captain accused England of acting against the spirit of cricket during the third Test. Stokes was the bowler when Smith dropped Sudharsan, who later could not control his hook at a Stokes bouncer.

Dawson, playing his first Test in eight years, was England's other standout performer. In his second over, he drew Jaiswal into a prod to slip and sprinted off into the covers in celebration. After that, he provided control, going at an economy of three across his 15 overs.

Woakes was arguably fortunate to hold off Gus Atkinson after being below his best in the first three Tests, but bowled better than his 1-43 suggested. He regularly beat the edge of Jaiswal in the opening hour.

Brydon Carse had a rare disappointing day, too often dragging down. Jofra Archer, after his electrifying return to Test cricket at Lord's, was tight without creating chances.

Battling to stay in the series, India lost all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and seamer Akash Deep to injuries. In came Shardul Thakur and debutant Anshul Kamboj. For now, replacing number three Karun Nair with Sudharsan, who was dropped after the first Test, has had the biggest impact.

Jaiswal and Rahul batted with great skill to defy England and the conditions in the morning, only for India to wobble at 140-3 after Gill padded up to Stokes in the afternoon.

It was a plan for England to target the pads of Sudharsan and he benefited from Smith's poor drop, but aside from that he showed sound judgement and solid defence in his 151-ball stay. The left-hander regularly nudged and nurdled through the leg side.

In contrast to Sudharsan's calmness, Pant was characteristically chaotic. He had 10 from his first 19 balls, then tried to hack Carse to signal his intent. He swept Archer for four, missed a reverse-sweep off the same bowler and belted Carse back over his head for six.

Another attempt at flamboyance was his undoing. England appealed for lbw when Pant missed the reverse at Woakes and the subsequent review was struck down. Still, Pant played no further part in the day.

Sudharsan holed out and England would have hoped to attack Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur with the second new ball. The evening gloom meant the spin of Dawson and Joe Root had to be bowled for five overs in tandem before Stokes decided he wanted his pacers, forcing the hand of the umpires.