Gill, India maintain sequence alive with drawn fourth Take a look at in opposition to England

Centuries by Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar ship England-India sequence to fifth Take a look at match decider at The Oval.

India, led by captain Shubman Gill, batted with nice character to safe a hard-fought draw within the fourth Take a look at in opposition to England and maintain the sequence alive going into the ultimate recreation.

After shedding two wickets earlier than that they had scored a run of their second innings, India batted for over 5 classes for the lack of two extra wickets to finish the match on 425-4 at Outdated Trafford in Manchester on Sunday.

A brave hundred from Gill – his fourth of the sequence – and dogged unbeaten centuries from Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar – gave the house crowd little to cheer on a tricky day 5 for England.

A intently fought sequence stays at 2-1 to England, and the hosts should keep away from defeat within the ultimate Take a look at at The Oval in London, beginning on Thursday, to win it.

“That is at least a win for us, given we have been round 300 runs off the lead. Our batsman placed on a fantastic show,” Gill instructed the BBC.

“As quickly as England acquired the brand new ball, it was doing a little bit bit, however our batters did very well, and it was super, with a little bit little bit of luck going our manner as some balls can get dragged on, sensible batting and courageous batting.”

England captain Ben Stokes, who took 5 wickets in India’s first innings however was not match to bowl a lot on Saturday, introduced himself into the assault on Sunday morning with India resuming on 174-2.

The hosts have been agency favourites to seal victory at this level, much more so when Stokes’s reintroduction paid dividends. The 34-year-old trapped KL Rahul by lbw for 90, ending his wonderful third-wicket partnership with Gill at 188.

Gill remained undeterred, nonetheless, even after getting a nasty blow on the hand. In his first sequence as captain, the 25-year-old turned solely the third skipper to attain 4 a whole lot in a single Take a look at sequence.

Gill Falls

After virtually seven hours on the crease, a tired-looking Gill wafted at a Jofra Archer supply to fall simply earlier than lunch for 103. Jadeja was dropped on the subsequent ball by Joe Root, a tricky likelihood at first slip.

England nonetheless had loads of time to safe victory, however the house facet barely created any probabilities, with India seeing out the attract relative consolation.

Washington moved alongside conservatively after lunch, however hit successive boundaries, one an enormous six, to maneuver to his fifth Take a look at half-century. Jadeja reached his fifty and handed 1,000 Take a look at runs in opposition to England, changing into the third Indian participant to take action this sequence.

After tea, with their likelihood of victory gone, England supplied India the chance to name a halt to proceedings early, however Gill stored his workforce on the market.

With England rotating their bowlers, Jadeja swept to his fifth Take a look at century underneath no strain, earlier than Washington rapidly accomplished his maiden Take a look at hundred.

India did then comply with a draw – the primary non-rain affected draw for England since coach Brendon McCullum and Stokes got here collectively in 2022.

“One other hard-fought Take a look at,” Stokes instructed reporters. “One other five-dayer. We set the sport up very well, the way in which we put the Indian bowlers underneath strain, specializing in batting as soon as.

“We gave ourselves a fantastic likelihood of bowling them out. We performed the sport how we wished to; it didn’t simply pan out the way in which we wished,” Stokes added.

“Mentally, I really feel wonderful; bodily, I’ve been higher. It has been a reasonably large workload this sequence.”