A sensational hundred by Rishabh Pant and a brilliant unbeaten half-century by Washington Sundar has helped India wrestle back the initiative from England as they recovered from a precarious position of 6/146 to finish the day at 7-294 with an overall lead of 89 runs.
Team India were dealt with back-to-back body blows on the second morning of the fourth Test with Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli once again failing to notch up a big score in this series. England bowlers were right on the money in the morning session as the likes of James Anderson, Ben Stokes, and Jack Leach bowled with great discipline, ensuring that India scored a mere 17 runs in the first 15 overs, losing two wickets in the process.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s struggles against Jack Leach continued as he fell to the left-arm orthodox for the 4th time in the series. Virat Kohli registered his second duck of the four-match series and once again it was English all-rounder Ben Stokes who had his number. With Ben Stokes being the only seamer in the team alongside James Anderson, the charismatic cricketer bowled a marathon spell on the second morning where he made use of the bounce offered by the surface to great effect.
And, again it was the extra bounce that he extracted courtesy a perfectly pitched short of a good length delivery which led to the undoing of Virat Kohli, who edged one straight to Ben Foakes. Ajinkya Rahane came out with a positive mindset and scored four boundaries during his 45-ball 27 but as has been the theme with Rahane’s batting in the past few years, he once again failed to convert his start into a big knock and fell to James Anderson at the stroke of the Lunch break.
It all happened on the fifth delivery of the 37th over when Anderson set Rahane up with a series of inswingers and outswingers and the Indian vice-captain could not resist the urge of poking outside the off-stump. Ben Stokes took a brilliant low catch to give James Anderson his second scalp of the innings.
The wicket of Rahane meant England bossed the first session as they gave away just 56 runs and took three big wickets in the form of Pujara, Kohli, and Rahane. India started off on a positive note in the afternoon session as Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant scored 41 runs in the first 13 overs. Sharma once again looked imperious during his stay at the crease. During his knock, he became the fastest Indian opener to score more than 1000 runs but just as it looked like he was warming up for another big knock, Ben Stokes once again weaved his magic.
The England all-rounder got one to jag back in to trap Rohit in front of the wicket for 49. Rohit was slightly unlucky as replays showed that both impact and ball tracking displayed that it was ‘Umpire’s Call’. Ravichandran Ashwin survived a few close calls against Ben Stokes before he played against the spin-off Jack Leach to give a simple catch at short midwicket. Rishabh Pant survived a close LBW call against Dom Bess at the stroke of Tea break.
Barring that, the southpaw looked quite comfortable during his stay at the crease. Pant scored his runs all around the field and the most impressive thing about his knock was the manner in which he rotated the strike. Pant brought up his 3rd fifty of the series after the Tea break and along with Washington Sundar helped India get past England’s total. Pant got his first 50 in 84 balls post which he proceeded to tee off like only he can.
The swashbuckling 23-year-old batsman took the English attack to the cleaners and went on to smoke his next 5o runs in a mere 35 deliveries to bring up his maiden Test ton on home soil and the third of his career. The southpaw unleashed his full repertoire of strokes against both pace and spin. Square-cuts? Check. Pull? Check. Reverse-Lap? Check. Off James Anderson? Check. Slog Sweep? Check. Lofted drive over the bowler’s head? Check. Check. Check.
The southpaw brought up his 100 with a typical slog-sweep off Joe Root. Pant got brilliant support from Washington Sundar as the duo went hammer and tongs against the new ball. Pant was eventually dismissed for 101 but Washington continued with his merry way to bring up his third Test fifty. Washington Sundar and Axar Patel ensured that India did not lose any more wickets as India finished the day with an overall lead of 89.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
It’s heartening to see the youngsters take centre stage yet again for team India. Unbelievable belief and grit – and reading of the game. @RishabhPant17 is just wow and @Sundarwashi5 not letting go of any opportunity to shine. #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/VqZPjqJJBw
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) March 5, 2021
How good is he? Unbelievable..what a knock under pressure…not the first time and won't be the last time..will be an all time great in all formats in the years to come.keep batting in this aggressive manner .thats why will be match winner and special..@bcci @RishabhPant17 pic.twitter.com/1cRmnSw5ZB
— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) March 5, 2021
Staggering to think Rishabh Pant wasn't in India's XI for the First Test of the Australian series. #INDvENG
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) March 5, 2021
Me Watching Rishabh Pant reverse sweep Anderson for a boundary and then bring up his century with a SIX.
That's my Boy! #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/yunVL1GRTQ— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) March 5, 2021
Live scenes #INDvsENG #RishabhPant pic.twitter.com/VLjkyB0E8p
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) March 5, 2021
Reaching 2 of their first 3 Test 100s with a 6:
Imran Khan (2nd & 3rd) 1982-87
Ridley Jacobs (1st & 2nd) 2001-02
Rishabh Pant (1st & 3rd) 2018-21— Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) March 5, 2021
Rishabh Pant is either your favourite cricketer to watch right now or you are wrong.
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) March 5, 2021
This is the Pant universe. And we are merely the audience.
— The Friendly Neighborhood Expert (@madaddie24) March 5, 2021
Oh my Lord!!!! Everything about Pant reverse sweeping Anderson, of all people, like that is freakin’ glorious and hilarious and all the superlatives. ? #INDvEND #GoodBadRidiculous
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) March 5, 2021
This is the way to Bat in Test Cricket … Calmness,clarity,trust in defence & attack at the right time … Brilliant from @RishabhPant17 !! #INDvENG
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 5, 2021
Pant backs up Brisbane.
Pant is a PLAYER!— Kevin Pietersen? (@KP24) March 5, 2021
Pant brings up the series-clinching 100 stand with a reverse-flip for four over the slips off Jimmy Anderson and the new ball. As you do.
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) March 5, 2021
Rishabh Pant is the one
— Tim Wigmore (@timwig) March 5, 2021
https://twitter.com/benjonescricket/status/1367787432456974336?s=19
Scored 97 at SCG and gave India a chance in that Test. Played arguably one of the finest innings at The Gabba – 89* in a run-chase. Played a counterattacking 91 in Chennai & scored a fifty in 2nd Test. Key knock here. Rishabh Pant has matured a lot as a Test cricketer.
— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) March 5, 2021
After being left out at Adelaide, Rishabh Pant is the highest averaging Indian batsman in Tests this year, and only Rohit Sharma has more runs (474 to Pant's 469). #ENGvIND
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) March 5, 2021
Rishabh Pant & Washington Sundar are putting on a decisive partnership. Both of them were part of the India U-19 team that played the World Cup in 2016
— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) March 5, 2021
A calmness and maturity about Pant’s batting today. Very impressive. A huge hour of the game coming up…#INDvENG
— Ian Bell (@Ian_Bell) March 5, 2021
Andy Zaltzman on The Cricket Social:
"In Ben Stokes' last 20 Tests he averages 50 with the bat, has taken 36 wickets at an average of 28 balls and has 29 catches."
?BCCI
Live: https://t.co/KmQWaq4sth#bbccricket #INDvsENG pic.twitter.com/S9jCmApZk1— Test Match Special (@bbctms) March 5, 2021
Impact = Umpire’s Call
Hitting the stumps = Umpire’s CallShould be NOT OUT.
As it is it’s difficult to make peace with one umpire’s call….two is a little too much. #IndvEng #Rohit
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) March 5, 2021
Instant review from Ashwin. He's as sure that he has not hit it as he is that the ball has hit him. Off shoulder. But, another effort ball from Stokes. And trust me it is hot out there. This is serious effort. #INDvENG
— Anand Vasu (@anandvasu) March 5, 2021
Stokes and Anderson combined
30 overs 4-39 … incredible skill and fitness and fight !!!!— Nasser Hussain (@nassercricket) March 5, 2021
In this series I've newfound respect for Rohit as Test player. Lone warrior carrying this team to WTC. Trolling of Rohit as Test player should be down a bit, even if he fails in Eng tour give him a long run. #INDvENG
— Viraj (@vjv02) March 5, 2021
In the last 10 tests(since 2020), Indian top order (1-7) has scored just 2 100s, 24 50s between them. 3376 runs at 28.
*excluded night watchmen.
*excluded Ashwin's 100 as it came at no. 8— The Friendly Neighborhood Expert (@madaddie24) March 5, 2021
Not sure if you want your senior to have a 1 in 8 Test performance. That too playing at a crucial spot.
— Nikhil ? (@CricCrazyNIKS) March 5, 2021
Jimmy Anderson = ? #Respect ?♂️
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) March 5, 2021
England’s session. Strange sluggishness by India helped them. Boils down to that pair: Rohit and Pant #INDvEND
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) March 5, 2021
Indian batsman scores 100+ runs in this series.
Rohit Sharma : 304 Runs, 60.80 Avg ?
R Ashwin : 176 Runs, 35.20 Avg
Virat Kohli : 172 Runs, 34.40 Avg
R Pant : 169 Runs, 42.25 Avg
Pujara : 131 Runs, 26.20 Avg
S Gill : 119 Runs, 19.83 AvgStats from cricbuzz #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/6bXUozLdrk
— #Mi Vivek (@miPatilVivek) March 4, 2021
Pujara hasn't got a Test 100 since Jan 2019.
Virat hasn't got a Test 100 since Nov 2019.
Rahane hasn't scored a Test 100 on home soil since 2016.
Shambles.
— Yash ?? (@im_yash2307) March 5, 2021
Virat Kohli scoring two ducks in a Test series:
2014 vs England
2021 vs England— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) March 5, 2021
Isn’t that (the Kohli dismissal) too much bounce for a Day 2 Test pitch in India? Asking for a trend #IndvEng
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) March 5, 2021
Most Ducks in World Test Championship (Indians)
4 – Virat Kohli*
4 – Jasprit Bumrah
3 – Mohd Shami
3 – C Pujara#INDvENG— CricBeat (@Cric_beat) March 5, 2021
Sheer brilliance of Stokes to produce that kind of delivery in these conditions to get a great batsman out. ???#INDvENG
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) March 5, 2021
Leach V Pujara
89 balls, 61 runs, 4 wickets, 15 ave
Pujara v SLA before this series
1862 balls, 804 runs, 5 wickets, 160.80 ave
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) March 5, 2021
That's a superb decision by Nitin Menon… #IndvEng
— Alan Gardner (@alanroderick) March 5, 2021
Nitin Menon is a damn good umpire. Our umpires get a lot of flak….some totally unwarranted too…but here’s a guy who’s right up there with the best in the world. Let’s acknowledge and appreciate that ??? #IndvEng
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) March 5, 2021
Don’t want to put the ‘analyst’s’ curse on him, but Nitin Menon is having a brilliant series as umpire. Great news for Indian cricket. Have always felt India needs to produce many world class umpires along with world class cricketers. #INDvENG
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) March 5, 2021