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With the five-match Test series between England and India currently placed 2-1 in favour of the hosts, the fourth Test, which is being played at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester has also moved down to the fifth day after England posted a 311-run lead after their first innings. Although, after India restricted England at the score of 669, they took the field to bat in order to put a commanding total on the board.
Although, they did not have a great start as Chris Woakes dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan in quick succession, KL Rahul and Shubman Gill played a gritty knocks and stitched crucial unbeaten 174-run stand to cut down the England lead. At stumps, India trailed by 137 runs with KL and Gill in the middle.
Ben Stokes unlikely to bowl on Day 5 of Manchester Test vs India
While Ben Stokes played a crucial 141-run knock for the hosts after Joe Root’s 150, he was seen struggling a bit with soreness and cramps which even saw him get retire hurt before returning to bat again. Seeing his struggles, England’s assistant coach Marcus Trescothick was questioned about Stokes chances of bowling on the final day of the ongoing Test.
Marcus confirmed that Stokes is “a bit stiff and sore” and a decision on his bowling will be taken ahead of Day 5’s play. “We are waiting to see, he is obviously stiff and sore, he has had a big workload in the last few weeks and obviously again in this game and had a bit of cramp while he was batting mainly yesterday. I think we are still hopeful that he will be better tomorrow once we come back out and be a bit loose and ready to go again but we will assess it over night and see what happens. It's always important to make sure, especially after getting five wickets in the first innings. Let's keep our fingers crossed, he'll get a massage tonight and good rest and hopefully come out strong tomorrow,” Trescothick said.
However, a confirmation on whether Ben Stokes will bowl on the final day or not will come into picture once he takes the field. But Stokes with his 141, where he smashed 11 fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 71.21, became only the fifth captain in the history to pick up a five-wicket haul and score a century in the same Test.
