IND vs ENG, 4th Test: ‘England will have just enough’ – Experts agree hosts hold edge on final day in Manchester | Cricket News
India’s batters KL Rahul and Shubman Gill during the fourth day of the fourth Test. (PTI Photo)
NEW DELHI: England may not have wrapped up the fourth Test against India on Day 4 at Old Trafford, but the belief in the home camp – and among experts – is strong. Former England captain Michael Vaughan and ex-India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik both agreed that the hosts are still favourites heading into the final day, even as India’s second-innings fightback led by captain Shubman Gill and KL Rahul raised hopes of a dramatic draw.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Speaking on Cricbuzz, Karthik teased Vaughan with a grin: “What is your crystal ball telling you for Day 5? There’s a lot of rain, a little bit of Indian batting and they get ahead again. Rain. Is that what you see?”
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Vaughan, ever the optimist for England, replied with confidence: “My crystal ball’s not been working this week. The weather’s been confusing me in Manchester. But I still think England are going to win the game. I think England will have enough.”He added, “If England get one, they’ll make it very, very difficult for the Indian batters… We’ll see Rishabh Pant, hobbling down those stairs, getting an incredible reception. But I think England will just have enough. And I think we’ll see Ben Stokes bowling.”Karthik reluctantly agreed: “I also feel if there’s going to be a full day of play, England will have a better chance of winning.”India, chasing down a deficit of 311, were 174/2 at stumps on Day 4, still 137 behind. The innings had begun in dramatic fashion with Chris Woakes removing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan for ducks in the very first over.But the rearguard resistance from Gill (78*) and Rahul (87*) restored some hope for the visitors. The duo’s 174-run stand not only steadied the innings but also gave India a shot at defying England’s fifth-highest Test total of 669.Rain is expected to play a part on Day 5. But if conditions hold, England will be eyeing quick wickets, while India hope to rewrite history with another twist in this gripping Test series.
