IND vs ENG 4th Test Day 2 Highlights: England dominate day two as batting blitz overshadows Rishabh Pant's heroics, trail India by 133 runs

Day two of the 4th Test between India and England at Old Trafford saw the pendulum swing firmly in favour of the hosts, as a disciplined bowling performance, notably from captain Ben Stokes, wrapped up India's innings before a blistering opening stand put England in a commanding position.

Resuming on 264/4, India hoped to build a substantial first-innings total, but early setbacks curtailed their aspirations. Ravindra Jadeja was dismissed in the second over of the day, edging Jofra Archer to Harry Brook. The crucial partnership between Shardul Thakur (41) and Washington Sundar (27) offered some resistance, adding 48 runs, before Stokes, with an inspired spell, tore through the lower order. The England captain claimed his first five-wicket haul in Tests since 2017, finishing with figures of 5/72.

Despite suffering a fractured toe on Day 1, Rishabh Pant bravely returned to the crease, battling through visible pain to score a valiant 54 off 75 balls. His gritty half-century, achieved with a boundary, was a testament to his resilience, surpassing Rohit Sharma to become India's highest run-scorer in the World Test Championship. However, his dismissal, bowled by Archer, signaled the end of India's innings for 358.

In response, England's openers Zak Crawley (66*) and Ben Duckett (94) launched a fearless assault on the Indian bowlers. They put on a formidable 166-run partnership, punishing anything loose and capitalizing on the easing conditions. Duckett was particularly aggressive, nearing a century before debutant Anshul Kamboj, in a moment to remember, claimed his maiden Test wicket, having Duckett caught behind. Ravindra Jadeja then chipped in with the wicket of Crawley, but Joe Root (38*) and Ollie Pope (25*) consolidated the innings, ensuring England finished the day strongly at 225/2, trailing by just 133 runs.

While India will be relieved to have broken the opening stand, their bowlers, particularly the pacers, struggled to find consistent lines and lengths. With Rishabh Pant's injury likely to sideline him for the remainder of the series, India faces an uphill battle to contain England's fluent batting and avoid falling further behind in this crucial Test.

Also read| Watch: Rishabh Pant gets standing ovation from Manchester crowd for courageous return to bat with fractured foot