IND vs ENG 4th Test Day 2 Live: India were six wickets down when, in a huge boost, Rishabh Pant returned to bat on Day 2 of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, Manchester. Pant had injured his right foot attempting a reverse sweep off Chris Woakes on Day 1, causing bleeding and swelling, and was taken off in an ambulance cart. Despite this, he came out to bat, with India at 321 for 6 at lunch. Notably, Rishabh Pant will only bat, while Dhruv Jurel will take over wicketkeeping duties.
Ben Stokes grabbed his first five-wicket haul in eight years, while openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley hammered a 166-run stand to put England firmly on top in Manchester. After bowling India out for 358, England’s openers punished a wayward Indian attack, scoring briskly and shifting momentum heavily in their favor.
Ben Duckett inches closer to a well-deserved century, while Ollie Pope joins him at the crease as England maintain momentum at one down in the ongoing fourth Test at Old Trafford, Manchester. The long wait for India ended in the 32nd over when Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Zak Crawley for a fluent 84, giving India their first breakthrough of the innings.
Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley have both notched up impressive fifties, putting England firmly in control against India. The hosts are cruising with a run rate of over 5 per over, dominating the bowling attack as Indian pacers continue to search for their first wicket.
England have made a fantastic start to their innings, scoring 86 runs in just 15 overs at a rapid rate of 5.5 runs per over. The hosts have capitalized on a flat pitch and sunny conditions, offering no assistance to the Indian pacers. The England openers are making the most of the perfect batting conditions.
England raced to 50 runs in just 61 balls, thanks to a fiery knock from Ben Duckett, who had an early escape on Anshul Kamboj’s bowling in the second over. Alongside Zak Crawley, Duckett has given the Three Lions a flying start. India now desperately need a breakthrough to shift momentum
England opener Ben Duckett had a lucky escape in just the second over of the innings against India, as a sharp delivery from Anshul Kamboj nearly resulted in an early breakthrough. The ball narrowly missed the edge, giving Duckett a brief reprieve.
Jasprit Bumrah was the final wicket to fall, dismissed for 4, as India were bowled out with a fighting first-innings total.
Rishabh Pant’s gritty knock came to an end on Day 2 of the fourth Test as Jofra Archer produced a beauty to castle him for 54. The well-set Pant was beaten by pace and movement, bringing an end to a courageous innings. Despite the setback, India have crossed the 350-run mark. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are now at the crease, looking to add a few more valuable runs to the total.
Ben Stokes delivered a crucial breakthrough by dismissing Washington Sundar with a well-directed short ball aimed at the body. Sundar, cramped for room, mistimed a pull shot straight to deep square leg. Soon after, Stokes removed Anshul Kamboj for a duck on his debut, leaving India eight down for 344.
After returning to the crease, Rishabh Pant began taking singles. While it’s still uncertain if he’s fully fit, his ability to rotate the strike offers India crucial relief and helps keep the scoreboard moving steadily. After 105 overs, India are at 321/6, Rishabh Pant batting at 39 and Washington Sundar at 20.
As Rishabh Pant walked onto the field, he was greeted with a huge ovation from the crowd. He had severely injured his right foot attempting a reverse sweep against Chris Woakes on Day 1, causing bleeding and swelling. Pant was even taken off the ground in an ambulance cart. However, according to the latest BCCI update, he will bat for India but will not keep wickets.
In a major boost for Team India, Rishabh Pant has been declared available to bat “as per team requirements” despite his recent toe injury. The news comes as a much-needed relief for the visitors, who are now five down in the fourth Test at Old Trafford. Just moments before the update, India lost their sixth wicket as Shardul Thakur departed for 41. The right-hander looked solid during his stay but edged a fuller delivery from Brydon Carse straight to gully while attempting an expansive drive outside off-stump. With India needing to build again, Pant’s potential return could be pivotal in stabilizing the innings.
After 95 overs on Day 2 of the fourth Test, India reached 302 for 5, building a solid recovery following Ravindra Jadeja’s early dismissal. Shardul Thakur continues to play confidently, unbeaten on 35 from 68 deliveries, while Washington Sundar is holding firm with 11 off 37 balls. In the most recent over, Sundar found the boundary by edging a delivery between the fourth slip and gully, helping India cross the 300-run mark and adding valuable runs to the lower-middle order stand.
Jofra Archer made an early impact on Day 2, dismissing Ravindra Jadeja in just the second over of the morning. With his departure, India finds themselves five wickets down and a batter short against England at Old Trafford.
Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur resume India’s innings on Day 2 at 264/4 against England in the fourth Test in Manchester. The pair remained unbeaten at stumps, with Sai Sudharsan leading the scoring for India with a well-made 61.
India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the remainder of the Test series against England after fracturing his toe during the fourth Test in Manchester. The injury, sustained while attempting a reverse sweep, will sideline him for at least six weeks. Though a return in this match with painkillers hasn’t been entirely ruled out, it’s highly unlikely. Ishan Kishan is expected to be called up for the fifth and final Test.
On Day 2 at Old Trafford, India will start at 264/4 and depend on Shardul Thakur and Ravindra Jadeja to weather the early storm. The first hour will be critical since England is anticipated to take the new ball. Since Rishabh Pant is unlikely to return due to injury, the two must prioritise survival before gaining momentum.
On Day 1 in Manchester, Sai Sudharsan became the first Indian No. 3 to knock a fifty outside of India since 2022 with a stoic 61 off 151 balls. He capitalised gracefully after being dropped on number 20, hitting seven boundaries and bringing the innings under control. R Ashwin praised his impressive recovery, questioning the selectors for removing Sudharsan after just one Test and criticising the choice to put Karun Nair, who struggled at No. 3, in an inappropriate role on his show Ash ki Baat. The management should support Sudharsan and put the Nair experiment behind them, Ashwin demanded.
With cloudy skies predicted in the morning and clearer spells later in the day, the Manchester weather could influence play as India resumes their innings at 264/4. The pitch, with a bit of grass still intact, has seen four straight draws this season, raising questions over its ability to produce a result.
It seems unlikely that Rishabh Pant will bat again as the fourth Test match between England and India proceeds at Old Trafford. This is a more dangerous issue than his previous return following a finger injury at Lord’s. Pant was unable to stand or walk without assistance after suffering a severe injury to his right foot on Day 1. According to rumours, he might not even be able to wear his cricket shoe for a few days due to the extreme swelling and internal bleeding. A comeback this Test appears extremely unlikely given his role as a dynamic runner between the wickets, which would severely weaken India’s middle-order.
“Update: On Day 1 of the Manchester Test, Rishabh Pant was struck on his right foot while batting. He was removed from the stadium for scans. His progress is being tracked by the BCCI Medical Team,” the BCCI stated.