Resolute India put up brilliant batting performance with three tons to eke out gritty draw in 4th Test

A roller-coaster of a Test series between England and India is, fittingly, going down to the wire.

India, against the odds, salvaged a draw in the fourth Test with a show of grit and sheer defiance at Old Trafford on Sunday, and kept alive its hopes of tying the five-match series at the Oval. England leads the series 2-1.

India was 425-4 in their second innings - including three centuries - and 114 runs ahead when an early end to the final session was called.

This Test might not have matched the drama at Lord’s when England won by 22 runs, but it was engrossing throughout five days in Manchester, with India turning the tide after looking like being swept away.

By Sunday evening, India’s collapse in the opening over of its second innings a day earlier seemed an age away. At 0-2 at that point and 311 runs behind, the series looked lost.

Not on Shubman Gill’s watch. Not with an Indian batting order of such quality it has the top four run-scorers in the series.

Top of the lot is Gill, who hit his fourth century of the series to provide the platform for the recovery. He was supported by KL Rahul (90), Ravindra Jadeja (107 not out) and Washington Sundar (101 not out) and, combined, they frustrated an England attack that simply ran out of ideas.

It sets up a tense final test, which starts on Thursday. How quickly things change.

When the wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan went in successive balls from Chris Woakes before lunch on Saturday, India was in crisis at 0-2.

In came captain Gill and his team hardly looked back. His partnership of 188 with Rahul held firm through the next two sessions and deep into the following morning.

The series-leading run-maker’s reached 103 before his near seven-hour stand over two days was put to a stop when caught by Jamie Smith off Joffra Archer.

Gill is now on 722 for the series, while second-placed Rahul is on 511.

The dismissal of that formidable pair before lunch raised England hopes, but there was more pain to come with the double-century partnership of Jadeja and Sundar guiding India to a draw.

With India resuming the day on 174-2 and trailing by 137, England was crying out for Ben Stokes.

And he didn’t take long to deliver. Ultimately, though, it wasn’t enough.

After fitness concerns ruled him out of bowling on day 4, England’s captain was back with the ball and quickly claimed his 17th wicket of the series when Rahul went leg before wicket.

It was a reminder of just how badly he was missed from England’s attack as Gill and Rahul batted so defiantly.

Stokes, who had retired hurt with cramp on day 3 and then returned to reach 141, had decided not to bowl at all on day 4.

It was hardly surprising his absence was felt, given the 34-year-old Stokes is the lead wicket-taker in the series and took five in India’s first innings. His brilliant performance came after he underwent surgery in January following a second hamstring injury in five months and dubbed himself the bionic man.

The result might have been different if he had been fit to play a full involvement in the second innings, but, frequently holding the back of his leg after each ball on Sunday, his effectiveness was limited and India took advantage.

It is too close to call heading into the final test at the Oval.

Agencies