India consolidated its strong position on Day 4 of the second Test against England as the hosts extended their lead beyond 300 runs, despite the dismissal of KL Rahul during the morning session. Rahul, who had looked composed at the crease, was eventually dismissed for a well-made score, giving England a brief opening. However, India’s middle-order resilience ensured that the lead continued to grow steadily.
The day began with India resuming their second innings under favorable batting conditions, having already established a solid foundation at stumps on Day 3. KL Rahul and the overnight batter looked focused, aiming to stretch the lead and bat England out of the contest. Rahul, in particular, showed good footwork against the spinners and played cautiously, rotating strike and punishing the loose deliveries.
However, his dismissal came against the run of play. Attempting to defend a delivery that spun sharply, Rahul edged the ball to the slips. The breakthrough lifted England’s morale briefly, but it did not translate into sustained pressure. India’s new batter settled quickly, and with the lead already over 250 at the time of Rahul’s departure, England was left with a steep task ahead.
As the day progressed, India’s lead crossed the 300-run mark, with partnerships developing across the middle order. The pitch, which had shown signs of wear on Day 3, continued to offer variable bounce and turn, making life increasingly difficult for England’s bowlers and foreshadowing a challenging fourth-innings chase.
The Indian team management appeared focused on building a lead that would allow them to declare with enough time left to bowl England out. Spinners are expected to play a crucial role on the final day, and India’s strategy seems to be aimed at giving their bowlers a sizable cushion to work with.
England’s bowlers, to their credit, remained disciplined throughout the session, but the lack of consistent wickets hurt their chances of limiting the damage. James Anderson and Ollie Robinson bowled tidy spells with the new ball, but breakthroughs were hard to come by as Indian batters rotated strike efficiently.
The conditions at the venue have also started to favour bowlers, especially spinners, with visible footmarks forming and the ball gripping off the surface. India’s spinners, particularly Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, are expected to be key in the final innings.
As stumps approach, all eyes will be on when India decides to declare and give themselves enough overs to bowl out the English side. With a lead well over 300, India is in a commanding position and looks poised to level or even dominate the series if the bowlers continue their recent form.
The fifth day promises to be an exciting conclusion, with India eyeing a win and England needing a monumental effort to save the match.
