4th Test: Wheels come off for India in Manchester as Joe Root rewrites records

India Today

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England scored 319 runs on Day 3 of the fourth Test in Manchester in what could prove to be a series-defining batting display against India. Having laid a solid foundation on Thursday through openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, England set out to bat big - and their milestone man Joe Root led from the front, extending their first-innings lead to 186 on a day when India's bowlers toiled hard with little success.advertisementEngland ended the day's play on 544 for 7, with captain Ben Stokes unbeaten on 77 alongside all-rounder Liam Dawson (21*). Stokes showed great resolve, returning to bat after retiring hurt earlier due to cramps. | Manchester Test Day 3 Scorecard |With Stokes eyeing his first Test century in two years and England boasting a more-than-capable lower order, the hosts appeared well placed to bat India out of the contest and knock the wind out of the tourists' sails.
For the first time since January 2015, India conceded over 500 runs in an innings in an overseas Test. The numbers told the story of a struggling bowling unit, and the performance evoked memories of the 2011 tour of England, when an inexperienced Indian attack was laid bare under MS Dhoni's leadership.Young captain Shubman Gill looked out of his depth at times, as Root ticked off milestone after milestone, eventually ending the day as the second-highest run-scorer in Test history. As Root surged past Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting in the all-time charts, Gill was found wanting - his bowling changes, tactical choices and field placements all falling short.Yes, the pitch and weather in Manchester heavily favoured the batters, but India looked flat, uninspired, and lacking in intensity - perhaps for the first time in an overseas Test in many years."Perhaps you should go out there and give the team a pep talk," quipped Michael Atherton to Ravi Shastri in the commentary box, taking a dig at the visibly dispirited body language of the Indian players at Tea.BOWLING ATTACK DONE?As England sent the Indian bowlers on a leather hunt and steadily dismantled the team's morale, the wheels began to come off. Jasprit Bumrah, the spearhead of India's pace attack, looked pedestrian for large parts of the day before finally striking late to remove Jamie Smith. Mohammed Siraj appeared burdened by workload, while debutant Anshul Kamboj, limited by his military-medium pace, failed to trouble the batters with any consistency.advertisementWashington Sundar was the pick of the bowlers, claiming two crucial wickets that briefly brought India back into the contest after a wicketless first session. However, captain Shubman Gill's reluctance to turn to Sundar meant the off-spinner was introduced only in the 69th over - his twin strikes arriving far too late to shift the momentum.Ravindra Jadeja fought a lone battle throughout the day, persistently plugging away and eventually earning the wicket of Root, who had already completed his 38th Test hundred on a landmark day.Joe Root departs after a record-breaking 150, as the crowd erupts in admiration!He has overtaken Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, and Ricky Ponting to become the second-highest run-scorer in Test history! #ENGvIND 4th TEST, DAY 3 | pic.twitter.com/OoIu8STaee— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 25, 2025WHAT'S WRONG WITH BUMRAH? Bumrah bowled 28 overs and conceded runs at under four an over, but the pace spearhead lacked the intensity that made him such a feared force during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia earlier this year.Despite having been allowed to manage his workload - playing only three Tests in the series - Bumrah looked deflated, lacking the energy and consistency to produce something special whenever his captain turned to him. It was uncharacteristic of the senior pacer, who often strayed in both line and length, easing the pressure on the opposition.His dipping pace became a major talking point. In the series opener at Leeds, 40 percent of his deliveries clocked over 140 kph. That figure dropped to 27 percent at Lord's, and in the ongoing Manchester Test, just one percent of his deliveries have crossed that mark.- EndsTune InYou May Also Like