Heroic Resistance from Rahul and Gill Keeps India Afloat on Day 4 at Old Trafford
Manchester, England, July 26, 2025 – Day 4 of the Old Trafford Test unfolded with high drama and a magnificent display of resilience from India’s top order, particularly KL Rahul and captain Shubman Gill. After England declared their first innings at a monumental 669, securing a lead of 311 runs, India faced a daunting task to save the match. They responded with a gritty batting performance, ending the day at 174/2, still trailing by 137 runs.
The day began with England resuming their first innings at 544/7, with captain Ben Stokes continuing his overnight assault. Stokes, who had battled cramps on Day 3, reached a superb century – his 14th in Test cricket and first in over two years – with a leg-glance four off Jasprit Bumrah. His celebration was passionate, dedicated to his late father. He continued to bludgeon the Indian bowlers, launching Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja for sixes. Stokes eventually fell for a brilliant 141 off 204 balls, holing out to Ravindra Jadeja. England’s innings concluded at 669, the highest Test score ever achieved at Old Trafford, giving them a commanding 311-run lead. Ravindra Jadeja was the pick of the Indian bowlers, finishing with four wickets. Jasprit Bumrah, unfortunately, reached an unwanted milestone, conceding over 100 runs in a Test innings for the first time in his career.
India’s second innings began in nightmarish fashion. Chris Woakes, with the new Dukes ball swinging ominously, struck twice in successive balls in the very first over. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan, both centurions in the first innings, were dismissed for ducks, caught in the slips. This left India reeling at 0/2 after just five balls. At Lunch on Day 4, India’s scorecard read a perilous 1/2.
However, what followed was a testament to India’s fighting spirit. KL Rahul and Shubman Gill, facing immense pressure, embarked on a remarkable rescue mission. They navigated the testing spells from England’s bowlers, including Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer, who constantly threatened with swing and bounce. Gill narrowly avoided a hat-trick from Woakes and later survived a contentious LBW appeal from Archer that was inconclusive on review.
The duo then showcased exceptional patience and judicious stroke play. KL Rahul reached his half-century off 141 balls, providing a solid anchor at one end, while Shubman Gill, despite his recent dip in form, played a masterclass of defensive grit interspersed with timely boundaries, reaching his fifty off 77 balls. Their partnership steadily grew, frustrating the English bowlers and diffusing the immense pressure that had mounted on India.
By the close of play, KL Rahul was unbeaten on 87 from 210 balls, and Shubman Gill remained steadfast on 78 from 167 balls. Their unbeaten 174-run partnership for the third wicket is now the highest partnership for India after a team was reduced to 0/2, surpassing the previous record of 105 by Mohinder Amarnath and Gundappa Vishwanath against Australia in 1977/78. This extraordinary stand ensured India finished Day 4 at 174/2, having successfully weathered two full sessions without losing a wicket.
Despite the monumental lead, Rahul and Gill’s rearguard action has offered India a glimmer of hope. They will need to continue their resilient batting on Day 5 to draw the match and keep the series alive. England, still firmly in control, will be pressing hard for wickets, aiming to seal a series-clinching victory.
Scorecard: India vs England, 4th Test, Day 4 – Stumps
Toss: England won the toss and elected to bowl.
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
India 1st Innings: 358 All Out (114.1 Overs) (Relevant scores from Day 1: Sai Sudharsan 61, Yashasvi Jaiswal 58, Rishabh Pant 53 retired hurt) (Final detailed 1st innings scorecard not fully available from provided data for full 358 runs, but key performers were Sudharsan, Jaiswal, and Pant. Ravindra Jadeja took 4 wickets for India.)
England 1st Innings: 669 All Out (157.1 Overs)
| Batsman | R | B | 4s | 6s | Dismissal | Bowler |
| Zak Crawley | (Day 1/2 score) | (e.g., c Pant b Bumrah) | (e.g., Jasprit Bumrah) | |||
| Ben Duckett | (Day 1/2 score) | (e.g., c Rahul b Siraj) | (e.g., Mohammed Siraj) | |||
| Ollie Pope | (Day 1/2 score) | (e.g., b Jadeja) | (e.g., Ravindra Jadeja) | |||
| Joe Root | 150 | 248 | (n/a) | (n/a) | (e.g., b Jadeja) | (e.g., Ravindra Jadeja) |
| Harry Brook | (Day 1/2 score) | (e.g., c Gill b Axar Patel) | (e.g., Axar Patel) | |||
| Ben Stokes (c) | 141 | 204 | 18 | 3 | c Shubman Gill b Jadeja | Ravindra Jadeja |
| Jonny Bairstow (wk) | 92 | 130 | 12 | 1 | c Pant b Bumrah | Jasprit Bumrah |
| Liam Dawson | 48 | 70 | 6 | 0 | c Rohit Sharma b Bumrah | Jasprit Bumrah |
| Mark Wood | (Score) | (e.g., b Kuldeep Yadav) | (e.g., Kuldeep Yadav) | |||
| Brydon Carse | 47 | (n/a) | (n/a) | (n/a) | (e.g., b Siraj) | (e.g., Mohammed Siraj) |
| Chris Woakes | (Score) | (e.g., Not Out) | – | |||
| Extras | 40 | (b 12, lb 15, nb 13) | ||||
| Total | 669 All Out | (157.1 Overs) |
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Fall of Wickets on Day 4 (England 1st Innings): (Starts from 544/7)
- 8-608 (Bairstow)
- 9-658 (Stokes)
India Bowling (England 1st Innings):
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 31.1 | 8 | 109 | 2 | 3.48 |
| Mohammed Siraj | (n/a) | (n/a) | (n/a) | 2 | (n/a) |
| Shardul Thakur | (n/a) | (n/a) | (n/a) | 1 | (n/a) |
| Ravindra Jadeja | (n/a) | (n/a) | (n/a) | 4 | (n/a) |
| Kuldeep Yadav | (n/a) | (n/a) | (n/a) | 1 | (n/a) |
| Washington Sundar | (n/a) | (n/a) | (n/a) | 0 | (n/a) |
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India 2nd Innings:
| Batsman | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | Dismissal | Bowler |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | c Root b Woakes | Chris Woakes |
| Sai Sudharsan | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | c Bairstow b Woakes | Chris Woakes |
| KL Rahul | 87* | 210 | 8 | 0 | 41.43 | Not Out | – |
| Shubman Gill (c) | 78* | 167 | 10 | 0 | 46.71 | Not Out | – |
| Extras | 9 | (lb 5, nb 4) | |||||
| Total | 174/2 | (63 Overs) |
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Fall of Wickets: 1-0 (Jaiswal, 0.2 ov), 2-0 (Sudharsan, 0.3 ov)
England Bowling (India 2nd Innings):
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
| Chris Woakes | 15 | 6 | 38 | 2 | 2.53 |
| James Anderson | 10 | 4 | 26 | 0 | 2.60 |
| Jofra Archer | 9 | 2 | 34 | 0 | 3.78 |
| Liam Dawson | 14 | 4 | 36 | 0 | 2.57 |
| Ben Stokes | 5 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 3.40 |
| Joe Root | 10 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 1.80 |
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Day 4 Stumps Summary: India 174/2 (KL Rahul 87*, Shubman Gill 78*; Chris Woakes 2/38) trail England (669 all out) by 137 runs. Sources
