Recent Match Report – India vs England, England tour of India, 4th Test

England 302 for 7 (Root 106*, Robinson 31*, Akash 3-70, Siraj 2-60) against India

A stirring century from Joe Root tempered Akash Deep's dream debut and pulled England out of trouble on a thrilling first day of what is a must-win fourth Test for the touring side in Ranchi.

Root, who had come under fire for what was seen as an ill-timed innovation in the first innings of England's 434-run defeat in Rajkot, returned to a more conventional Root innings on Friday and it paid off – his first century in the series. (in fact, his first score above 29) and 10th against India in Tests. In doing so, he took England to a fine 302 for 7 at the close after falling to 57 for 3 and, later, 112 for 5, with Akash taking his first three wickets in Test cricket in two overs.

Akash, the 27-year-old right-armer called in to replace the rested Jasprit Bumrah, opened the bowling with Mohammed Siraj and caused England problems almost from the start, hitting an impeccable length and finding subtle movement on a dry pitch already displayed. a few cracks that the seamers were able to exploit for extra bounce on occasion. His 11th ball was a gem that came back to Zak Crawley and stayed a little low to sneak through the gate and send the wheel off the stump, but he and an ecstatic crowd were muted by the ban siren of ball signaling that he had overstepped.

Crawley settled in and helped himself to 18 of the 19 runs Siraj conceded in his fourth over with three straight fours followed by a lofted six at mid-off.

England put themselves in danger, however, as Akash grabbed two wickets in three balls and then a third to erase his earlier disappointment. First, he had opener Ben Duckett caught from behind on a length ball that pitched just outside off stump and moved slightly away to kiss the outside edge, the bowler hitting hard and at several put the badge on his chest in celebration. Ollie Pope followed for a duck, lbw after India reviewed and replays showed Akash hitting the top of leg stump with a ball that sank in to beat the inside edge and hit the pad straight on the knee roll. Pope was at the wicket, but that ultimately didn't really help his cause.

In his next over, the 12th over of the match, Akash defeated Crawley by pulling four off another no-ball with a perfect length delivery outside off which closed in and pinged the top of off stump to remove the opening for a run. ball 42.

Jonny Bairstow staged a 52-run stand with Root, but fell under weight trying to sweep R Ashwin after a hard-hitting 38 off 35 balls – and after India overturned Rod Tucker's on-field decision. Then, Ben Stokes was stunned by a full delivery from Ravindra Jadeja that stayed incredibly low and skidded into the front pad at ankle height on the stroke of lunch.

But then Root and Ben Foakes combined for a 113-run sixth-wicket stand that steadied the tourists throughout a middle session in which India went wicketless for the first time this series.

Root's ton was built on hard, patient work – a far cry from the enterprising England of the Bazball era, but he played what was in front of him, absorbing the pressure of the situation and acting accordingly. He faced 226 balls for his unbeaten 106, including nine fours. He was well supported by Foakes, who fell three runs short of his fifty when he sent Siraj to Jadeja at short mid-wicket, after facing 126 balls, including four fours and a sublime six over deep mid-wicket from Ashwin, which brought up the partnership of the century with Root.

Siraj claimed his second wicket when he bowled Tom Hartley with a beauty that beat the outside edge and crashed into the off stump. Hartley had just avoided the second slip with an edge that didn't carry but went past Yashasvi Jaiswal and raced to the boundary rope, his dismissal putting England at 245 for 7.

Root put up another important stand, this one unbroken and worth 57 so far with Ollie Robinson, who was not out 31 at the close. Robinson, who replaced compatriot Mark Wood in the team, survived a weight call from Jadeja on 8 when he was ruled out by on-field umpire Kumar Dharmasena. On the replay, ball tracking suggested the delivery was hitting middle stump, but India had burned all their criticism and were left to regret what could have been.

It seemed fitting that Root conjured up his hundred via a textbook cover off Akash who raced to the boundary rope in a flash a little later, his 31st Test ton overall and one that had a hint fairy tale about it, given the furore over his reverse ramp dismissal in the previous match.

Robinson gave a glimpse of the old/new England with a glorious sweep for six over deep midwicket off Kuldeep Yadav. He produced two more boundaries, a cover off another no-ball from Akash to bring up the fifty stand with Root and thump Jaiswal through midwicket. The latter took England to the 300 mark that Stokes would have hoped to see by winning the toss on a pitch that was expected to deteriorate but had seemed a long way off in the morning.