India reached 52-1 at stumps on the fourth and the second last day of the opening cricket Test match against England being played at the Trent Bridge Ground in Nottingham on Saturday, after England set them a target of 209 runs to win and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. At the crease were India opener Rohit Sharma and their batting mainstay Cheteshwar Pujara, who both were batting on 12 not out each.
The visitors lost their in-form opening batsman KL Rahul in the second innings, who made 26 from 38 balls in a brisk innings which also included six boundaries. The fifth and final day of the Test match is set to be a thrilling one since the home team will push to take the remaining nine Indian wickets before the visitors get to their target of remaining 157 runs.
Stuart Broad, who remained wicketless in the first innings for England, provided them the only wicket which fell on the fourth day evening in the form of Rahul, who had scored 84 earlier in the first innings for India.
But the day, however, belonged to England captain Joe Root who scored his first century of the series, signalling his form and telling the Indian camp that he is ready to take on all the challenges that they will throw at him. Earlier this year, Root had scored a brilliant 218 to guide England to a stunning win against India in Chennai.
England had earlier resumed their second innings at 21-0 on the fourth day, having conceded a huge lead of 95 runs in the first innings. Rory Burns (18), Dom Sibley (28) and Zak Crawley (6) all disappointed but Root found partners in Jonny Bairstow (30), Jonny Bairstow (39) and Sam Curran (32) all worked hard to push English total in the second innings to 303.
Jasprit Bumrah was the star performer for India with the ball taking 5–64 from his 19 overs whereas Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur claimed two wickets apiece. The senior India fast bowler Mohammed Shami claimed one wicket for himself which meant that all the 10 English wickets in the second innings fell to the Indian fast bowlers.
Root produced an innings of highest quality, which also happened to be his first century at home since 2018. The right-handed English batsman faced 172 balls and hit 14 boundaries to make 109, which also happens to be the first century of the series from either team.
