A typically chaotic Rishabh Pant innings took top billing on day one of the fourth Test between England and India at Emirates Old Trafford, the swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter ultimately retiring hurt with a concerning foot injury.
Pant, having struck 37 off his first 47 balls with his usual array of audacious sweeps, reverses and charging of the England quicks, was struck on the boot by a Chris Woakes yorker to his 48th, the blow so painful that he had to be carted off.
Pant survived the lbw shout and subsequent England review – a thin inside-edge his saviour – but it remains to be seen whether he can play a further part in this Indian innings, the tourists closing day one on 264-4, or even the Test match.
Score summary – England vs India, fourth Test, Old Trafford
India 264-4 after 83 overs: Sai Sudharsan (61), Yashasvi Jaiswal (58); Rishabh Pant (37 retired hurt); Ben Stokes (2-47), Chris Woakes (1-43), Liam Dawson (1-45)
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England’s Ben Stokes takes the wicket of Sudharsan towards the end of day one of the fourth Test
Sai Sudharsan (61) – one of three India changes from their third Test loss at Lord’s, coming in for Karun Nair – hit a maiden Test fifty, but fell late in the day, pulling a Ben Stokes (2-47) short ball down deep fine-leg’s throat.
Stokes had earlier trapped India captain Shubman Gill (12) – greeted by boos from the home support – lbw without playing a shot, shortly after Liam Dawson (1-45), playing his first Test for eight years, struck with just his seventh ball to dismiss dangerman Yashasvi Jaiswal (58).
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Liam Dawson gets his first Test wicket for England in eight years at Old Trafford in their fourth Test against India
Jaiswal and KL Rahul (46) had blunted England’s attack in a wicketless first session after Stokes opted to insert the visitors at the toss.
Woakes (1-43), who had deserved reward for forcing multiple play-and-misses in the morning, ended the 94-run stand as he finally connected with Rahul’s outside edge soon after lunch, while Harry Brook pouched a smart one at slip to reward Dawson’s return almost immediately.
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After a slow start, Chris Woakes finally gets England their first wicket against India, dismissing KL Rahul
In a fiercely-contested series that is being compared to the 2005 Ashes classic, Gill’s arrival at the crease was reminiscent of those reserved for Ricky Ponting and co 20 years ago, or the welcomes granted to Messrs Warner and Smith on more recent visits.
Gill never looked settled at the crease and was soon sent packing when padding up to a Stokes nip-backer – umpire Rod Tucker eventually persuaded to raise his finger, as if solely on the strength of a desperate, vociferous Stokes appeal – DRS confirming the decision.
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England captain Ben Stokes gets his first wicket of the fourth Test just before the end of the afternoon session
Then came the Pant show. With England sniffing further inroads at 140-3, Pant shifted momentum back India’s way with his usual counter-attacking chaos.
After charging Brydon Carse’s first ball after tea to signal his intent, he then swept an 86mph Jofra Archer ball off one knee for four before attempting to reverse his next.
A first six soon followed off Carse, struck firmly over long-on, before he then earned a bit of good fortune when Stokes – far from the first England fielder to struggle to locate the ball in the Manchester gloom – failed to see one skewed likely just out of his reach at mid-off.
To add further to England’s frustration as India nudged beyond 200 and the fourth-wicket stand between Sudharsan and Pant pushed past fifty was an earlier Jamie Smith drop of the former when on 20 after he nicked one down the legside off Stokes.
The injury to Pant – struck on the foot when attempting an audacious reverse-sweep to a Woakes yorker – ended the partnership rather abruptly and at least allowed England a look at a new batter, if not necessarily another wicket.
They would add to that column late in the day, however, with Sudharsan’s dismissal before play was ended 10 minutes early due to bad light as England wished to take the second new ball.
Watch day two of the fourth Test between England and India at Old Trafford, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10.15am, Thursday (11am first ball), or stream without a contract.
England vs India – results and schedule
All games at 11am UK and Ireland; all on Sky Sports
