ENG vs IND, 5th Test: Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow strong, England eye series-leveling win over India
India Today
Joe Root, and Jonny Bairstow stood strong on Day 4 to put England on the cusp of a series-leveling victory after India set the hosts 368-run target on the penultimate day of the fifth and final Test on Monday.
England tightened their grip on the rearranged fifth Test against India, with just 119 runs away from a series-leveling win and seven wickets in hand, despite Jasprit Bumrah's brilliant spell on day four of the contest at Edgbaston on Monday.
Bumrah's heroics were short-lived as Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow stood strong, forging a solid 150-run unbeaten stand for the fourth wicket, foiling India's plan to take control of the rescheduled Test on a penultimate day in Birmingham. England reached 259 for 3 at the close of play on Day 4 with Root (76*) and Bairstow (72*) batting in the middle.
England vs India, 5th Test, Day 4 Highlights
Bumrah's twin strikes had thwarted England's counter-attacking start as the stand-in captain knocked over Zak Crawley for 46 at the stroke of tea and then removed Ollie Pope on the very first delivery of the final session. Alex Lees and Crawley had provided England a fantastic start as the opening duo added 107 runs in just 21.4 overs in their pursuit of 378 runs against India in the series-deciding Test at Edgbaston on Monday.
With plenty of time left in the Test, England have got a perfect platform to not only square the series 2-2 but also surpass its previous successful run chase of 362-9 against Australia at Leeds in 2019. England successfully chased down close to 300 runs in all three matches against the Kiwis. It needs 271 more runs with nine wickets and four sessions left.
Lees was the next English batter to fall as a misunderstanding with Joe Root saw him walking back after a fantastic knock of 56 runs. Root then joined hands with first-innings centurion and in-form batter Jonny Bairstow for an unbeaten 108-run fourth-wicket stand to keep the Indian bowlers at bay.
INDIA SET 378-RUN TARGET
