The fourth match of the 5-match Test series between India and England is being played at the Oval Cricket Ground. India has set a target of 368 runs in front of England. India’s second innings ended on 466 runs. Team India has scored more than 400 runs in Test cricket for the first time since November-2019. In reply, England scored 77 runs without losing a wicket in their second innings till stumps on the fourth day. Rory Burns 31 and Haseeb Hameed 43 runs at the crease. In the fifth day’s play, England needed 291 runs to win. At the same time, the Indian team will be looking for 10 wickets.
In the fourth day’s play for India, Shardul Thakur scored 60 and Rishabh Pant made 50. The duo put on a 100-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Umesh Yadav scored 25 and Jasprit Bumrah scored 24 runs. Chris Woakes took 3 wickets for England. In Test cricket, England has got the target of 350+ runs 105 times before. In these, the English team has won only 1 match and has to face defeat 82 times. The remaining 22 matches have been draws.
This match continues despite the threat of Corona. Team India’s head coach Ravi Shastri has been found to be Corona positive. However, the reports of all the players have come negative. Therefore, it has been decided to continue the Test match for the time being.
Brilliant Shardul’s superb innings
Shardul Thakur, batting brilliantly, completed his second consecutive half-century in this match. Shardul is only the ninth player in Test cricket history to score 50+ in both innings of Test batting at number 8 or less. Thakur played a brilliant innings of 60 runs. Also, this is the first time after 2019 that Team India has scored more than 400 in an innings. During the Indore Test in 2019, the team scored Bangladesh 493/6.
Skipper Kohli missed the half-century
Indian captain Virat Kohli was dismissed by Moeen Ali after scoring 44 runs. Kohli gave a simple catch to Craig Overton at first slip. Moeen Ali took Virat’s wicket for the sixth time. Before getting out, Kohli completed his 10,000 runs in first-class cricket as well as scoring the 30th run of the innings. This is Virat’s 128th first class match. Captain Kohli also completed his 1000 Test runs on the soil of England.
Jadeja lost review
India’s first wicket fell on the fourth day in the form of Ravindra Jadeja (17). Chris Woakes to Jadeja out LBW. Although Ravindra Jadeja went against the decision of the umpire and took a review, but in the replays the ball appeared in the line of the stump and Jadeja’s review did not go in the team’s favor. In the same over, Woakes also appealed for LBW against Ajinkya Rahane and the umpire also agreed to this and ruled Rahane out. The Indian vice-captain also took the DRS and the ball was seen very high above the stump, due to which Rahane got a big life.
