KL Rahul and Shubman Gill dug deep to score determined half-centuries, guiding India to 174/2 at stumps on Day 4 of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, Manchester. Trailing by 137 runs, the pair’s unbroken 174-run stand offered India a glimmer of hope heading into the final day.
Rahul stood firm on 86 off 205 deliveries, while Gill supported him with a fluent 77 off 161 balls.Earlier in the day, England resumed with a 186-run lead and capitalized on the advantage.
Captain Ben Stokes powered his way to a commanding 141, his 14th Test century, striking 11 fours and three sixes. Alongside the lower order, he added 125 runs in just 22 overs during the morning session, propelling England to a mammoth 669 all out and an overall lead of 311 runs.
India’s reply got off to a nightmarish start just before lunch. Chris Woakes struck twice in the opening over, removing Yashasvi Jaiswal and debutant Sai Sudharsan for ducks—both caught at slip—leaving India reeling at 0/2. Shubman Gill survived the hat-trick ball and India went into lunch at 1/2, still trailing by 310.
Post-lunch, Gill and Rahul began the repair job. The duo batted patiently through the second session, adding 85 runs in 26 overs without losing a wicket. Gill reached his fifty in 77 balls, playing positively with eight boundaries, while Rahul played a more restrained knock, grinding his way to 30 off 93 balls by tea.
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Their partnership only grew stronger in the final session, as Rahul also brought up his half-century, taking 141 balls. The pair added another 88 runs in the evening, blunting the English attack and ensuring India heads into the final day with a fighting chance.