LEEDS, England (AP) — India paid caution to a lively pitch and bowling and scored only 63 runs against England on the fourth morning Monday of the series-opening Headingley test.
India was 153-3 at lunch, leading by 159 runs in its second innings.
After India captain Shubman Gill was out to the seventh ball of the day, England would have expected another wicket or two with the ball nipping about in bright and windy conditions. England bowled well in an edgy air of anticipation.
But Lokesh Rahul was dropped on 58, and otherwise he and Rishabh Pant battened down in their own distinctive ways.
Rahul, shouldering responsibility as India’s senior batter, started on 47 and reached 72, adding only 25 runs from 82 balls in the session.
Despite some nice leaves and superb defense, Rahul was dropped when he tried steering pacer Josh Tongue wide of Harry Brook at gully. But Brook couldn’t pull down the 142 kph (88 mph) delivery above his head.
Pant was dangerous to England and himself. He recklessly swiped at a few without knowing where they were going. The second ball he faced flew over the slips. One of his fallover ramps came to grief and England reviewed for lbw, but Pant got an inside edge on it.
He was chaotic next to Rahul’s calm and needed a back massage in the drinks break. At lunch he was on 31 off 59 balls.
Gill moved from 6 overnight to 8 when he tried to cut Brydon Carse but chopped on to his off stump. The wicket felt like a blow to India’s hopes so early on day four but Rahul and Pant absorbed everything England threw at them.
Carse was 2-39 and Ben Stokes had 1-34.
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