Can Ben Stokes Turn the Tide as England Leaves India at 58/4?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Ben Stokes continues to shine as England's leader.
- England leads the match with a strong bowling performance.
- India's batting challenges highlighted by early wickets.
- KL Rahul's performance crucial for India's chase.
- Day five promises high tension and excitement.
London, July 13 (NationPress) Captain Ben Stokes demonstrated his knack for creating pivotal moments yet again, as he bowled out nightwatchman Akash Deep on the final delivery of the over. This left India at 58/4 in 17.4 overs at the end of day four in the third Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test at Lord’s on Sunday.
After off-spin all-rounder Washington Sundar showcased his skills with an impressive 4-22, concluding England’s second innings at 192 in 62.1 overs, India faced a target of 193 to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
However, during the last half-hour of play, England seized the initiative by claiming three wickets, shifting the momentum in their favor as they head into day five. India still relies on first-innings centurion KL Rahul, who is currently not out at 33, to guide them through the remaining 135 runs.
The chase didn’t start well for India as Yashasvi Jaiswal, appearing anxious in the opening over by Chris Woakes, was dismissed for a seven-ball duck after miscuing a short delivery from Jofra Archer, which was caught by Jamie Smith.
Rahul managed to get off the mark with a flick through fine leg for four and was fortunate to survive a dropped catch by Chris Woakes off his own bowling. Following that, he looked more comfortable, executing backfoot punches, square drives, and delicately steering the ball past gully to register four boundaries.
However, England continued to take wickets; Karun Nair made a misjudgment and was trapped lbw by a brilliant nip-backer from Brydon Carse.
Captain Shubman Gill struggled to find his footing during his brief time at the crease, getting struck on the knee roll by another nip-backer from Carse, indicating that the ball was on a path to hit the middle stump.
With the crowd rallying behind England, Stokes delivered a ball that straightened past Akash’s outside edge and uprooted his off-stump on the final delivery, elevating England’s spirits ahead of a critical day five, following a dramatic day where 14 wickets fell.
Brief Scores: England 387 and 192 in 62.1 overs (Joe Root 40, Ben Stokes 33; Washington Sundar 4-22, Mohammed Siraj 2-31) lead India 387 and 58/4 in 17.4 overs (KL Rahul 33 not out; Brydon Carse 2-11) by 135 runs