The England tailenders ensured that India returns for one final day at Trent Bridge, but a victory assured, it only remains when rather than how will India win.
England was never in the match, not even in the second day when, put to bat they bundled in a single session and their plight was further swelled by Jasprit Bumrah, who clutched the new ball with four wickets, making it five in the innings and seven in the match, on return from injury.
He could have had one more but for a no-ball, which not just halted an England collapse but also prevented an Indian victory on Day 4 itself. Bumrah’s old-habit of wickets from no-balls has tormented India several times in the past and although its ramification will be zero in this match, the 24-year-old must improve this villainous side to his heroic character.
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But that will not snatch the impeccable performance he put, sending three England batsmen, including centurion Jos Buttler (106) back in a space of six balls. The England wicket-keeper stitched a 169-run partnership with Ben Stokes (62) to rescue England out-of-trouble after Ishant Sharma had reduced them to 62/4.
Dropped on one by debutant Rishabh Pant, the 27-year-old struck his maiden Test century after 21 matches. Recalled to the England Test squad after having given up hope of white ball cricket, Buttler the team’s vice-captain showed the level of grit and determination that this team lacked, mixing defense with an equal measure of attack.
The pair in some manner followed India’s way to success, leaving most balls outside off, forcing the bowler to bowl into the stumps in search for a wicket – of which they made merry. Buttler especially among the two, looked more convinced finding occasional boundaries, to keep his side in the hunt.
But it wasn’t to be as Bumrah, returning with the new ball caught Buttler plumb in-front of the wicket – ironically offering no shot – sending him back. Jonny Bairstow, coming to bat with a broken finger, returned the next ball /doing no harm both to his injured finger and to India’s chances, before Chris Woakes for the successive time in this match was out to bouncer.
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Soon England from 231/4 was reduced to 241/8 when Hardik Pandya joined the party by removing Stokes, who nicked a catch to KL Rahul. Rahul himself broke a few records, courtesy his excellent slip-catching becoming the first cricketer to take seven catches in a single match standing at the slips.
But when England after a three-hour resistance finally seemed to have crumbled, Rashid (30) held anchor, delaying the inevitable first with Stuart Broad (20) and then alongside James Anderson (8), who took the ball on his body as many times as he did with the bat. It meant that England finished the day on 311/9 with 210 to still get but just one wicket to lose.
It also meant that India despite their blazing display will have to field on the fifth day after what once seemed to have been drawing to an end even before the final session. Having set England the near impossible target of 521, India began the morning with two quick wickets – both coming from Ishant Sharma – when the two left-handed openers Keaton Jennings (13) and Alastair Cook (17) fell to edges behind the stumps.
Bumrah and Mohammed Shami then hurried the proceedings by removing England captain Joe Root (13) and Ollie Pope (16), the latter falling to a brilliant catch from Virat Kohli, while both were dismissed to poor shots.