After the row about time-wasting at Lord’s came an unscheduled 10-minute delay on the opening day in Manchester, but this time no one was grumbling. Rishabh Pant was being driven off on a golf buggy nursing a suspected broken foot, the agony on his face as clear as the egg that had swollen up within seconds.
This was a very Pant way to get injured, India’s zany wicketkeeper having attempted a reverse sweep off Chris Woakes only to bottom-edge the ball on to his right boot. England burned a review for the lbw but it was as good as a wicket, Pant retiring on 37 and his further participation in this pivotal fourth Test left very much in doubt.
It was the moment that changed the complexion of a hard-fought day or at the very least eased it from an English perspective.
Ben Stokes had won his fourth toss in row, seen India graft their way to 212 for three, only for the touring side to reach 264 for four (potentially five) from 82 overs when bad light brought an early close.
As has become an encouraging feature of this summer, Stokes was in the thick of it with the ball in hand. Having wiped out Shubman Gill in the afternoon – lbw for 12 offering no shot after arriving to a chorus of boos – England’s captain followed it up with the removal of Sai Sudharsan for a well-crafted 61.
There was a wicket for Liam Dawson on his Test comeback, Yashasvi Jaiswal caught at slip for 58, while Chris Woakes struck first after lunch to dismiss KL Rahul for 46. But bar that nasty blow to Pant, it was India who arguably felt the more buoyant of the two sides when a grey day in Manchester came to its early conclusion.
This report will update shortly
