India vs England 2nd Test Day 4 LIVE: ENG 180/4, Ashwin removes Pope and Root, one wicket away from 500

11:12 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

After 40 overs, England 184/4 (Zak Crawley 72, Jonny Bairstow 17)

Crawley gives the hosts another reminder of the fact that he will not change his approach even if England are four down with over 200 runs left to chase. Charges down the track and drives the ball past Bumrah at mid off at the start of Ashwin’s 10th over and follows it up with another boundary, this time with a cut in front of square, in the penultimate delivery. Axar bowls out a maiden in the following over.

11:07 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

After 38 overs, England 175/4 (Zak Crawley 67, Jonny Bairstow 13)

FOUR! Bairstow nails the sweep off Ashwin’s bowling, with the ball racing away unhindered towards the square leg fence. Axar foxes Crawley with a peach in the next over, the ball gripping and getting a hint of extra bounce, and nearly clipping the top of the off stump in the process. More turn in the final delivery, in which the ball spun away sharply from the off stump.

11:01 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

After 36 overs, England 167/4 (Zak Crawley 63, Jonny Bairstow 9)

Big appeal for a stumping at the start of Ashwin’s eighth over, and the on-field umpire decides to refer it upstairs. Crawley’s foot is found to be grounded behind the crease. More nerves for Crawley later in the over as he gets a mishit while attempting to flick the ball, with the ball landing beyond short leg’s reach. Tidy over from Axar next up with just a single coming off it. Another 30 minutes to go for lunch. England, meanwhile, already have 100 runs in this session.

10:56 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

After 34 overs, England 165/4 (Zak Crawley 61, Jonny Bairstow 9)

Maiden for Ashwin, his first of the day, with Bairstow opting to block his way through the offie’s seventh over. The new batter however, decides to shift gears in the following over by Axar, collecting a brace in the second delivery with a punch through extra cover followed by a boundary two balls later with a similar shot, with Mukesh Kumar failing to cut the ball off at deep extra cover despite putting in a slide. Bairstow collects another brace in the final delivery with a square drive.

10:50 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

After 32 overs, England 156/4 (Zak Crawley 60, Jonny Bairstow 1)

Jonny Bairstow joins Zak Crawley at the centre after Ashwin gets rid of Joe Root, with the visitors suddenly in a spot of bother after losing three wickets in the morning session. It’s still not an impossible task for Stokes and Co, and it’s highly unlikely they will be changing their approach despite the situation. Bairstow gets off the mark with a single off Axar.

10:47 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

OUT! Ashwin ends another entertaining cameo, this time getting rid of Joe Root who departs for 16 off 10 after collecting a few fours and a six. Dances down the track looking to smash the veteran offie out of the park, and Ashwin decides to alter his line and length in an attempt to induce a mishit. And that is precisely what happens — Root ends up getting a thick leading edge, resulting in a simple catch for Axar Patel near backward point. Root doesn’t even look in the direction of the ball, and has a resigned look on his face soon as he makes contact with the bat. ENG 154/4

Root c Axar b Ashwin 16(10)

10:43 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

After 30 overs, England 149/3 (Zak Crawley 55, Joe Root 15)

FOUR! DOT. FOUR! What a start for new batter Joe Root, who collects a couple of boundaries off Ashwin in his first three deliveries of the day! Starts off with a reverse sweep off a low full toss that is placed wide of the slip fielder. Attempts a similar shot two balls later, but this time gets a thick top-edge that is too high for Rohit to grab at slip. SIX! Root charges down the ground and smashes the ball inside out over mid off to complete 1,000 Test runs in India! Big appeal for LBW by Axar against Root in the next ball, and the Indians decide to take the review after umpire Marais Erasmus shakes his head. Two reds, but impact is ‘Umpire’s Call’. Root has a sheepish smile on his face, knowing he just had a lucky reprieve.

10:35 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

Drinks brought to the field after Pope’s dismissal. New batter Joe Root, who is nursing an injury on his right little finger, will have some time before he faces his first delivery.

10:32 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

OUT! What a catch by Rohit Sharma! The change of angle works wonders for Ashwin as Pope ends up nicking the ball straight to slip while looking to cut the ball square of the wicket. The ball flew to the Indian captain in the blink of an eye but he managed to hold on somehow. IND 132/3

Pope c Rohit b Ashwin 23(21)

10:31 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

After 28 overs, England 132/2 (Zak Crawley 53, Ollie Pope 23)

Just one off Ashwin’s second over of the day, with Crawley setting off for a single in the penultimate delivery of the 27th. Axar, meanwhile, continues to bleed boundaries from the other end with Pope dancing down the track and drilling the ball though midwicket. Six off Axar’s eighth over.

10:22 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

After 26 overs, England 125/2 (Zak Crawley 51, Ollie Pope 18)

Ravichandran Ashwin introduced for the first time today, and he’s three wickets short of the 500-milestone. Big appeal for caught-behind against Ollie Pope, who attempts to reverse-sweep Ashwin, with the ball kicking up higher than usual. The umpire however, shakes his head and the Indians decide against going for the review as well. Turns out the ball had brushed his arm. Expensive over from Axar next up, conceding 13 off it including three boundaries — the first of which brings up Zak Crawley’s half-century.

10:20 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

FOUR! Zak Crawley dances down the track and lofts the ball towards the long off fence to complete his half-century in 83 deliveries! It’s his 11th Test half-century and his first of the ongoing tour. ENG 116/2

10:13 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

After 24 overs, England 109/2 (Zak Crawley 45, Ollie Pope 8)

Crawley collects a brace at the start of Bumrah’s 10th over, guiding England past 100 and bringing the equation down to less than 300 in the process. FOUR! Crawley moves to 45 with a lovely on-drive through the gap between midwicket and mid on off Bumrah’s bowling. FOUR! Out comes the reverse sweep from Pope as he places the ball wide of the man at short third man.

10:10 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

After 22 overs, England 99/2 (Zak Crawley 39, Ollie Pope 4)

Bumrah attempts to fire an inswinging yorker at Crawley, but ends up firing it far down leg at 144 clicks, beating both the batter as well as the diving keeper and running away for four byes. FOUR! Beautifully driven down the ground by Crawley off a full delivery from Bumrah outside off. FOUR! Rehan collects a streaky boundary with a thick outside edge that flies wide of slip and goes all the way to the third man fence for a four. Axar finally gets rid of the nightwatchman four balls later, trapping him leg-before with one that skids through and hits him on the pad in front of off. FOUR! Ollie Pope, England’s hero in Hyderabad, walks in next and sends out a warning to the hosts by collecting a boundary right away.

10:06 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

OUT! Axar breaks the second-wicket partnership that was starting to touch the fifty-run mark, trapping Rehan Ahmed LBW! Axar had induced an outside edge earlier in the over that fell just wide of the slip fielder, and followed it with a couple of deliveries that stayed a touch low and held its line. Rehan shuffles to his right in the penultimate delivery looking to heave it towards the leg side, but ends up missing the ball completely, getting hit on the pad right in front of the sticks. The ball skid through holding its line and that is what might have caught Rehan by surprise. He did his job as nightwatchman though. ENG 95/2

Rehan LBW Axar 23(31)

09:56 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

After 20 overs, England 83/1 (Zak Crawley 35, Rehan Ahmed 19)

Just one off Axar’s over, with Crawley collecting a single in the second delivery after pushing the ball down the ground to move to 35.

09:54 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

After 19 overs, England 82/1 (Zak Crawley 34, Rehan Ahmed 19)

It’s Bumrah vs Rehan for the first time today. Rehan gets an outside nick in the first delivery, with Iyer doing well at gully to stop the ball from running away for a boundary. Rehan had been taking his chances against spin, but decides to see this one off, resulting in another maiden for Bumrah.

09:49 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

After 18 overs, England 82/1 (Zak Crawley 34, Rehan Ahmed 19)

FOUR! FOUR! And now Rehan smacks Axar for back-to-back boundaries to increase the pressure on the home team! Dances down the track and steers the ball through the gap between midwicket and mid on at the start of the over before driving the very next delivery through extra cover. Takes a single in the third ball to get off strike.

09:47 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

After 17 overs, England 73/1 (Zak Crawley 34, Rehan Ahmed 10)

FOUR! First boundary of the fourth day, with Crawley going for an aerial drive through the gap between extra cover and mid off off a full delivery from Bumrah. Four off Bumrah’s second over of the day.

09:40 (IST)

India vs England LIVE

Rehan Ahmed almost caught at mid-on. Tries to go after Axar Patel and the miscue doesn’t go far enough to be taken by the fielder. Two runs from the over. 

09:38 (IST)

India vs England Day 4 LIVE

Jasprit Bumrah with a maiden over to start the fourth day’s play in the second Test. Zak Crawley seeing off one delivery that stayed low and others that nipped back in. Shubman Gill hasn’t taken the field and Sarfaraz Khan is in his place. Rajat Patidar occupying the first slip position that Gill normally stands in.

09:21 (IST)

Is Joe Root fit to bat?

Joe Root spent most of day three off the field nursing a damaged finger. He had sustained a blow on his right little finger while trying to take a catch. The incident happened early in the day and the England batter stayed off the field for the rest of the day.

James Anderson on Root’s finger injury: “His finger is not great,” said Anderson. “He took a blow in training this morning and again on the field. It’s just making sure that is as good as it can be for when he bats. Hopefully tomorrow he’ll turn up at the ground and be OK to hold a bat.

“He was just making sure he could do everything he could to help us out in the second innings, just making sure it’s as good as possible for tomorrow. There’s a chance we will need him with the bat so it’s making sure he can hold a bat.

“I don’t think there’s concerns. It’s making sure he’s as good as he can be. There’s no point risking it for an external blow, no point risking it further out in the middle, so it’s making sure he’s good enough to bat.”

09:12 (IST)

India vs England 2nd Test Day 4

First session is going to be pivotal in what could be the last day in this contest. There has been moisture on the surface in the first sessions – something Gill also spoke of. India need wickets in this session. England need to come out of it unscathed.

09:10 (IST)

James Anderson on England’s approach

“The chat last night from the coach was that if they get 600, we were going to go for it,” said Anderson.

“It makes it very clear to everyone that we will try to do it tomorrow. I know there are 180 overs left in the game, but we will try to do it in 60 or 70.”

09:10 (IST)

Record targets

The highest fourth-innings target successfully chased against India is England’s 378 at Edgbaston in 2022, and the most successful in India was when the hosts got 387 against England in 2008.

09:00 (IST)

Shubman Gill on the second Test

“Definitely pleased but I left a few out there. We could have done with a few more runs.”

“I think it’s 70-30 at the moment. Morning session will be key. We’ve seen there is moisture in the morning, and help for fast bowlers and spinners.”

08:36 (IST)

India vs England 2nd Test LIVE

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the India-England Test series. It is Day 4 in the second Test and the situation is evenly poised. England need 332 runs to win in Visakhapatnam and take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. India need nine wickets to level the series at 1-1. All to play for!