Superb India defy England to keep series alive

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

India 358 (Sudharsan 61; Stokes 5-72) & 425-4 (Jadeja 107*, Gill 103, Sundar 101*)

England 669 (Root 150, Stokes 141; Jadeja 4-134)

Match drawn, England lead series 2-1

Scorecard

India pulled off one of the great rearguards to defy England, earn a draw in the fourth Test at Old Trafford and keep the series alive.

The tourists batted more than five sessions in their second innings to reach 425-4 when the players shook hands. They had a lead of 114 when the draw was agreed with 10 overs of the match remaining.

England put in a mammoth effort on the fifth day but were ultimately frustrated by India's determination, a pitch that only had sporadic spells of life and a crucial Joe Root drop.

As ever, the home side looked to captain Ben Stokes for inspiration. After not bowling on day four, Stokes urged his fragile body through two spells, and had KL Rahul lbw for 90 at the beginning of the day.

When Shubman Gill wearily poked at Jofra Archer's spell with the second new ball, the prolific captain was out for 103 and England had an opportunity. India were four wickets down, 89 behind and had in excess of two sessions to bat.

But Root put down Ravindra Jadeja from the first ball he faced. England barely got another chance as Jadeja and Washington Sundar each made centuries. Their stand was an unbroken 203.

It meant England had to make do with only a second draw in 40 Tests since Stokes became captain in 2022, both on this ground, following the rain-affected stalemate with Australia in 2023. All four of Lancashire's County Championship matches on this ground this year have also been drawn.

England still lead 2-1 and somehow both teams must regroup for the final Test at The Oval, beginning on Thursday.

Of chief concern among some weary England bodies will be Stokes, who seemed to be feeling shoulder and upper leg problems throughout the day.

India will be without wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant because of a fractured foot. The tourists also have decision to make on key pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who has played the maximum three Tests they stated he would before the series.

The tense, fluctuating and unpredictable nature of this series has had echoes of the epic 2005 Ashes. How apt that this ground has produced the same result - an unlikely draw – 20 years on.

On that occasion, Australia held on nine wickets down on a famous day when thousands of spectators were locked out of Old Trafford.

This was not as raucous or dramatic as two decades ago, but India's escape is no less remarkable.

Before lunch on Saturday they were 0-2, 311 behind and all but beaten. That they go to The Oval with a chance of squaring the series says so much about their spirit, especially captain Gill, who is having a magnificent summer.

Quite what state these teams will be in when they arrive in south London is anyone's guess. Apart from the Stokes worry, England may need to refresh all three of their specialist seamers. Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson are in the England squad, and Jamie Overton could be added as cover.

India will bring in Dhruv Jurel for Pant, then have their own decisions on the fast bowlers. In terms of fatigue, the visitors at least have the benefit of being the team that has been batting for most of the past two days, while England have been in the field for 222 overs more across the series.

England were hoping this would the day they would clinch the series and complete the first part of what they hope is a glorious double this year. Instead, they still have work to do. It is fitting this wonderful contest gets a live finale.

Ever the centre of attention, this match has been about what Stokes has and has not done. After taking 5-72 in India's first innings and 141 with the bat, he became only the fourth England man to take five wickets in an innings and score a century in the same Test.

Given his injury history, there was concern when he did not bowl on day four, but the skipper was in the attack straight away on Sunday, tearing into a spell that regularly extracted uneven bounce from the wearing surface.

Stokes was constantly holding parts of his body, yet the skidding in-swinger to Rahul was palpably leg-before. Stokes also had Gill dropped by Ollie Pope on 81, before Archer moved through the gears to have the captain caught behind.

Then came the defining drop. Jadeja hung out the bat, Root leapt at first slip, juggled and shelled the chance. Archer collapsed to the turf in disappointment and barely recovered for the rest of the day.

Brydon Carse bowled only one spell and Chris Woakes was neutered. Left-arm spinner Dawson, in for the injured Shoaib Bashir, was predictably tidy and innocuous, going wicketless in his 47 overs.

Throughout this match and the series, the only England bowler that has looked likely to conjure something out of the old ball has been Stokes. He forced himself through one more spell in the afternoon, to no avail.

At the beginning of this game, Stokes looked to buck a historic trend. No captain that had won the toss and chosen to field on this ground had gone on to win the Test. At the end, despite his efforts, Stokes' England joined the 11 winless teams that went before them.

In his first series as captain, Gill has proved leadership can take his batting to new heights. His 722 runs are the most by an Indian in a single series.

From 144-2 overnight, 137 behind, India had to bat all of Sunday to escape. Gill, resuming on 78, bore the brunt of Stokes' morning tear. His drive to Stokes' 10th ball of the day was parried by Pope then, on 90, Gill was struck on the helmet by one that reared from back of a length.

Stokes at least ended the Gill-Rahul partnership on 184 before giving way to Woakes, whom Gill pushed to point for the single that took him to a century from 228 balls. Three runs later, Gill edged Archer.

In the absence of Pant, Sundar was promoted to number five and picked up the baton with Jadeja, who almost pulled off a stunning victory in the third Test at Lord's. England tried everything, including plenty of chat aimed at Sundar, but the fifth-wicket pair were unmoved for the rest of the day.

Both were strong in defence. Jadeja played sporadic straight drives, Washington pulled Stokes for six. Dawson caused the left-handers problems out of the rough, England tried fielders in all parts of Manchester, all without success. India were in the lead before tea.

A draw could have been agreed with 15 overs to go, but India wanted to play on for the milestones of Washington and Jadeja, much to England's frustration. In scenes of high farce, Harry Brook lobbed up some spin for Jadeja to complete his fifth Test ton and Washington his first.

England captain Ben Stokes: "It's been a back-and-forth series so far. We've been throwing punches, India have been throwing punches. It's just been really high-quality cricket between two very good teams.

"You've got to give credit to the way that India came out here and performed under the pressure that they were.

"A shoulder injury? It's just a workload sort of thing. We got a fair amount of overs and everything starts creeping up on you. I'll keep trying, keep going and as I say to all the bowlers - pain is only an emotion.

"It's been a big five-six weeks, I'll always try to give everything I possibly can. I'll always try to run through a brick wall for the team. Bowling, being out on the field it is tough work. I'm feeling pretty sore."

India captain Shubman Gill: "I am extremely pleased with our batting effort over the past couple of days. I think we were put under a lot of pressure, but the way we responded, especially after losing two wickets, was a very brave effort.

"Every match going to the the last session of the last day there are so many learnings. Each Test match teaches you something different. These four Test matches have taught us a lot. Hopefully if we win the next match we can draw the series."