Trisha Ghosal in Manchester
After a morning session that saw India teetering on the edge, the post-lunch passage belonged firmly to the visitors. Shubman Gill and KL Rahul turned a potential collapse into a spirited recovery, guiding India with 85 unbeaten runs in the second session and keeping their hopes flickering in this decisive Test.
The first over after lunch set the tone for England’s intent — Jofra Archer went full and straight, beating the bat and drawing two lbw appeals against Gill in the space of four balls. It was clear that England saw Gill’s vulnerability against in-duckers as a primary route. But Gill survived, just about, and then began to counterattack.
At the other end, Rahul’s presence was a stabilising force. Unfazed by pace or movement, he leaned on his defensive solidity and sharp judgment outside off stump. He absorbed England’s early fire with a blend of composure and clarity, allowing Gill the room to find his rhythm. Together, they weathered Archer’s hostility, negotiated Chris Woakes’ swing, and frustrated a bowling unit that looked threatening for much of the series.
Gill, shaky to begin with, gradually found his timing and confidence. A nervy push past the covers had him visibly frustrated, but instead of retreating into a shell, he chose to trust his shots. Standing outside the crease to Woakes helped negate the late swing, and when the ball was in his zone, Gill didn’t hold back. A commanding cover drive off Archer prompted the speedster to crank it up only for Gill to respond with a stylish upper-cut that screamed control and class.
There was a sharp chance at gully when Gill was on 46, spilled by Liam Dawson off Brydon Carse. A moment that might haunt England, as the young captain marches towards a record of his own, having already gone past Virat Kohli’s 655 runs in a series against England (2016).
The biggest surprise? No Ben Stokes with the ball. With his body under strain and hamstrings reportedly tight, the England captain opted for caution. India, meanwhile, took full advantage, playing their best session of the match and ending on a high, unbroken and undeterred.