MANCHESTER: For a change, weather Gods decided to be kind to Shubman Gill and Co as overcast conditions on Saturday morning gave their pacers a chance to strike early on Day 4 of the fourth Test here at the Old Trafford Ground. Pacer spearhead Jasprit Bumrah started the proceedings for them with Mohammed Siraj for his company from the Brian Statham End.

It didn’t take Bumrah long to give India their first success of the day as he cleaned up Liam Dawson in the fifth over of the day. It didn’t bounce as much as the batter expected and the ball clipped the bails even before he could bring his bat to defend. Before the wicket, captain Gill had already replaced Siraj with Washington Sundar from the Sir James Anderson End and did the same with Bumrah after a short spell of five overs. Siraj replaced him from that end.

But with their skipper Ben Stokes at the crease, England were unfazed with the fall of the wicket early in the morning. Stokes first completed his century guiding a Siraj’s delivery on the pads to the fine square leg for a four. It was Stokes’ first century in the format since that fighting 155-run knock against Australia at the Lord’s Test in June 2023. That century might not have helped his team win the match then but the knock here at Manchester has certainly put England in the driver’s seat. The all-rounder then smashed Washington for a six and a four off the consecutive deliveries in his bid to accelerate the run rate.