India vs England 4th Test, Day 4 Highlights: ENG still need 291 runs to win

Just like India's opening pair, the hosts' Burns (27*) and Hameed (29*) have provided an excellent start to their chase of 368. Siraj tries to find a way to break the partnership but Hameed smacks him for a four. ENG: 59/0 (25 overs)

Burns crashes the first boundary of the innings against a short ball from Umesh. And in the next over, by Jadeja, Burns crashes the second boundary of the innings. Which gets India to go to Bumrah.

ENG 30/0

The first change in the bowling is in the 8th over and it is in the form of Ravindra Jadeja. And he gets the ball to spin off the rough off his first ball. The TV cameras immediately pan to Ashwin. Hameed and Burns getting a few more singles than before.

ENG 17/0

Burns and Hameed begin the chase with circumspection. Umesh and Bumrah look to bowl tight lines but the English openers do well not to throw their bats at anything that could end up biting them in the back. 

ENG 11/0

263 is the highest successful fourth-innings chase at the Oval. But of course the track here has been much better for batting as the match has worn on.

367 to defend for India. 368 to win for England. The fourth innings of this fourth Test match is now set to begin. A good two hours to go today, because play will be extended today. Burns and Hameed begin England's chase. Umesh Yadav steams in for India.

UPDATE - Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara will not take the field. Rohit has discomfort in his left knee while Pujara has pain in his left ankle. The BCCI Medical Team is assessing them. #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/ihMSUPR7Im

— BCCI (@BCCI) September 5, 2021

Bumrah departs for 24, off 38 balls. Siraj comes in. Umesh keeps swinging for the hills. Four on the leg side. Six down the ground. India's lead swells. Woakes's face drops. Goes for one swing too many. He is out for 25. India have been bowled out for 466. England will chase 368 to win.

The 1??0??0??-run stand between Rishabh Pant (50) and Shardul Thakur (60) was the highlight of the day so far, a day largely dominated by #TeamIndia ?

??'s bowlers have a lead of 3??6??7?? to defend in the 4th innings. Let's go ??#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/YUFkaVz4j6

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) September 5, 2021

Bumrah gets India's lead to 350 with a four pulled to the leg side as the third session begins.

Bumrah and Umesh smash India to a lead of 346 runs by the Tea break. They walk back with the session having been definitively won by India. 

IND 445/8

?TEA, DAY FOUR?

Pant and Thakur are gone but India are still batting at 445-8 - a lead of 346?

? Watch #ENGvIND ? https://t.co/xBVtJ4Fh61
? Blog ? https://t.co/qEIoKsl9A5 pic.twitter.com/JUEBnTuiTp

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 5, 2021

A six by Umesh Yadav to signal the memo has reached the last 3 as well. And now it's Bumrah. A pull! For four. The Indian tail-enders are making merry against England's spinners. India's lead now inching towards 350.

IND 435/8

Shardul goes for 60 off 72 balls. Joe Root the man who does the trick, gets the danger man Shardul to edge one to the slips. Umesh Yadav comes in at 9. And now Pant is gone just after getting his 50.

IND 414/8, lead by 315

IND 412/7, lead by 313

Joe Root brings himself on and gets the vital breakthrough for England ?

Shardul Thakur departs after a well-made 60.#WTC23 | #ENGvIND | https://t.co/zRhnFiKhzZ pic.twitter.com/RWxyavq9CW

— ICC (@ICC) September 5, 2021

Some records being broken at the moment, and looking at the way these two are batting, there are many more records to fall today.

For the first time since 2013, India have scored over 400 in their second innings of a Test.

Shardul Thakur is only the fourth Indian No.8 to make two 50 scores in the same Test. Shardul, Harbhajan, Bhuvi and Wriddhiman are the others.

IND 411/6

A brilliant 100-run partnership between @RishabhPant17 & @imShard.

Shardul's fine innings comes to an end on 60.

Live - https://t.co/OOZebPnBZU #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/WBXtFU9k99

— BCCI (@BCCI) September 5, 2021

The fireworks have begun! Shardul slams a slower ball by Robinson for a six down the ground! Maybe time to fasten seat belts. Pant now inside edges a four past the keeper. All the luck going India's way now. Shardul now gets to his 50. Shardul's twin 50s keep the blushes away from India's batting card.

IND 396/6

FIFTY!

Second half-century of the game for @imShard ??

Keep going ?

Live - https://t.co/OOZebPnBZU #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/hZa7rZXWR7

— BCCI (@BCCI) September 5, 2021

What a moment! There's a run out - or you'd think there should have been one, or actually in there - till Pant walks into the crease with Haseeb Hameed playing sand castles with the ball. Moeen threw - he missed with Pant miles down. Haseeb came in to collect the throw, but then could not collect it with both hands and Pant walked back in. Now, Shardul pulls Jimmy Anderson with disdain! Four! It's all India at the moment.

IND 378/6

The lead now stretches beyond 275, with Pant and Shardul now batting in fine form, also showing early signs of attacking as English bowlers lose their sting. There's one more hour left in the afternoon session. The question which will begin to beg being asked if this partnership continues for the next half hour or so is - When will India declare?

IND 375/6

Steady progress by India after lunch ?

Rishabh Pant and Shardul Thakur have now added 63 runs for the 7th wicket.

?? have a 276-run lead at the moment. How much more will they add?#WTC23 | #ENGvIND | https://t.co/zRhnFiKhzZ pic.twitter.com/gvtI2R1hMw

— ICC (@ICC) September 5, 2021

Shardul Thakur and Rishabh Pant bring up their partnership of 50 in quick time. India 372/6, lead of 273. English shoulders drooping a bit.

Shardul and Pant drive the innings forward with conviction, England again struggle to get a breakthrough. Pant showing a lot more respect to the bowlers than usual, letting most balls outside off stump go by without bothering about it.

IND 349/6

Moeen Ali begins the afternoon session for england. Shardul and Pant, both of them now in their double digits, resume India's innings.

IND 332/6

Shardul smashes a four down the ground to end the first session of the day. Pant and Shardul have held on till the end of the morning session. How much more will they add to India's lead?

IND 329/6, lead by 230

Three important wickets in the morning session ?

Scorecard/Clips: https://t.co/uTNjWAL9Ea

??????? #ENGvIND ?? pic.twitter.com/sNLuBgFpfN

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) September 5, 2021

England burn their last Review in hopes of getting another LBW wicket off Moeen's bowling. But replays show the ball would have missed Shardul's leg stump. Last few minutes left before the Lunch break.

IND 317/6

Disaster for India! Kohli edges a nothing ball. To first slip. Anti-climax. Kohli gone for 44. Moeen Ali does the trick for England. India lose their sixth.

IND 312/6, lead by 213

#TeamIndia's lead goes past 200.

Live - https://t.co/OOZebPnBZU #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/GHw8T9cE7s

— BCCI (@BCCI) September 5, 2021

Pant brings up the 200-lead for India with a single to the leg side. Kohli creams a cover drive to move to 44.

IND 304/5

India opener #KLRahul was on Sunday fined 15% of his match fee for showing dissent at the #umpire’s decision when he was adjudged caught behind following a #DRS review on the third day of the fourth Test against England #ENGvIND https://t.co/8hmLYhpktj

— Express Sports (@IExpressSports) September 5, 2021

Woakes strikes again! Rahane is out for a duck after all. Woakes has taken to quick wickets to peg India back. Now Rishabh Pant joins Kohli.

IND lead by 199

Just as India were looking to step up the scoring rate, Jadeja is out. Kohli charges on. Rahane comes in at 6 and gets a huge reprieve at the outset. Could this match turn again?

IND 296/4

Chris Woakes strikes for England and traps Ravindra Jadeja in front of the stumps ?

India are 296/4 and lead by 197 runs.#WTC23 | #ENGvIND | https://t.co/zRhnFiKhzZ pic.twitter.com/Yhfv3jeQDh

— ICC (@ICC) September 5, 2021

The opening minutes have been well negotiated by Kohli and Jadeja. Jadeja has offered a few shots. Kohli has been the picture of compactness so far. The England bowlers are having a bit of trouble with their footmarks at the landing crease, so the big brooms are brought out to try and level the area.

IND 278/3

It's Robinson and Anderson who bowl for England at the outset on Day 4. Kohli gets the first run of the day with a single tucked to the leg side. The fourth day is underway at The Oval.

Big morning ahead ?

Scorecard/Clips: https://t.co/3vXw2IVjaV

??????? #ENGvIND ?? pic.twitter.com/UzUFD5KZ06

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) September 5, 2021

Play will be extended by 18 minutes today and a minimum of 95 overs are expected to be bowled. Play was called to an early close yesterday because of bad light. Day 4 set to begin in a few minutes.

The BCCI medical team has isolated head coach Ravi Shastri, bowling coach B Arun, fielding coach R Sridhar and physiotherapist Nitin Patel as a precautionary measure after Shastri’s lateral flow test returned positive for Covid-19 last evening.

'Weather looks fairly good today. It was expected to be cold and overcast, but it's bright at the moment. There will be swing but how much is the question.The surface has now turned into an absolute belting track for batting. We saw that yesterday too. The grass has more or less died out and the heavy roller will only make it even more flatter.' says Dominic Cork.

India will resume day four at The Oval on 270/3, with Virat Kohli (22*) and Ravindra Jadeja (9*) at the crease.

Currently 171 runs ahead, how much more will they be looking to add? ? #WTC23 | #ENGvIND | https://t.co/zRhnFiKhzZ pic.twitter.com/FJAy36x45z

— ICC (@ICC) September 5, 2021

It's the fourth day of the fourth Test of what has been a riveting series. Kohli and Jadeja will be walking out to bat for India in another half an hour. Rahane and Pant to come after this. India's lead now 171. The first hour of the day has been starkly different from the rest of the day in this Oval Test. No first hour possibly will be more important than today's. India have taken the advantage in this topsy-turvy match through their batting performance yesterday. Rohit, Rahul and Pujara showed up on Day 3. Who will shine on Day 4?

A solid partnership between @ImRo45 & @cheteshwar1 yesterday.

Like I had said earlier, Rohit has taken his batting a notch higher ?? in this series & has looked amongst the most comfortable batsmen at the crease.

And with Pujara, I have always believed in him to come good. pic.twitter.com/mcxOdw5cyZ

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) September 5, 2021