4th Test: Sundar and Jadeja hit unbeaten fifties as India take narrow 11-run lead at tea

Manchester, July 27 (IANS) Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja hit unbeaten valiant fifties while sharing an invaluable unbroken century partnership for the fifth wicket to help India take a narrow 11-run lead over England in the ongoing fourth Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test at Old Trafford on Sunday.

India came into the second session with a deficit of 88 runs and with six wickets in hand. But with Sundar and Jadeja admirably stepping under pressure and fighting hard to hit an unbeaten 57 and 53 respectively, India amassed 98 runs in a wicketless session, which has put them closer on the path to save this Test match with a draw.

The session began with Sundar, promoted to number five, resuming from 21 by punching Jofra Archer for four, before Jadeja, who was dropped on zero by Joe Root off the tearaway pacer’s bowling on his first ball, flicked him for another boundary.

Though Liam Dawson got some lovely drift, it wasn’t of much use as Jadeja drilled him down the ground for four, before flicking Joe Root for another boundary. Sundar brought up his fifth Test half-century in amazing fashion - hooking Ben Stokes for six, before pulling him for four.

Three balls later, Jadeja raised his fifth fifty of the ongoing series by cutting Stokes for four and found help via Zak Crawley’s misfield too to bring out his trademark sword-like celebration. By then India had got into the lead, which meant an innings defeat was averted and Sundar then chipped Root over four before bringing up the century of his partnership with Jadeja as tea break arrived.

Brief Scores: India 358 and 322/4 in 118 overs (Shubman Gill 103, KL Rahul 90; Chris Woakes 2-57, Ben Stokes 1-34) lead England 669 in 157.1 overs (Joe Root 150; Ravindra Jadeja 4-143) by 11 runs

--IANS

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