Daily Times

LONDON: England were set a daunting target of 368 to win the fourth Test against India at the Oval on Sunday after the tourists were bowled out for 466 in their second innings on the fourth day.Rohit Sharma top-scored with 127 — the opener’s first Test match hundred away from home —and put on 153 for the second wicket with CheteshwarPujara (61).Rishabh Pant (50) and fit-again all-rounder Shardul Thakur (60) added to England’s woes with a seventh-wicket stand of exactly 100.TailendersUmesh Yadav (25) and JaspritBumrah (24) kept the runs coming, with England all-rounder Chris Woakes continuing a fine return to Test duty by taking 3-83 in 32 overs.England now need to set a new national record if they are to go 2-1 up in this five-match series, with their previous highest fourth-innings total to win a Test their 362-9, requiring 359, against Australia at Headingley in 2019.But Ben Stokes, whose brilliant unbeaten century saw England to that nailbiting one-wicket win, is not playing in this series while the all-rounder takes a mental health break from all cricket.

India’s Thakur and Pant pile on runs against England: Earlier, Thakur and Pant strengthened India’s grip on the fourth Test against England with a seventh-wicket partnership of exactly 100 at the Oval.India in their second innings were 445-8 at tea on the fourth day, a lead of 346 runs, after Thakur had made 60 – the fit-again all-rounder’s second half-century this match – and wicketkeeper Pant 50.Only two teams have made more than 215 in the fourth innings of a Test to beat India – Australia with 342-8 at Perth in 1977/78 – and West Indies, who made 276-5 at Delhi in 1987/88.

The match was still somewhat in the balance when India captain ViratKohli was out for 44 before lunch, with the tourists then 312-6, a lead of 213 runs.But Pant, sensibly playing himself in rather than recklessly giving his wicket away as he´d done so often this series and Thakur, fit following a hamstring injury that had kept him out since the drawn first Test in Nottingham, were in fine form.They took the game away from England’s tiring pace attack on a good pitch, with a sunny day ideal for batting.Thakur carried on from his first-innings 57 by driving off-spinner Moeen Ali through the covers and Craig Overton down the ground for two well-struck fours.

Meanwhile, left-hander Pant lofted Moeen back over his head.ven James Anderson, Test cricket’s all-time most successful fast bowler, was made to look every one of his 39 years when Thakur hoisted him through deep midwicket.And such was Thakur’s command, with the ball no longer deviating in the air or off the pitch for England’s quicks, he had no trouble in spotting a deliberately slower delivery from seamer Ollie Robinson and driving it high over long-on for six.Thakur’s third fifty in four Tests came in just 65 balls, including five fours.England captain Joe Root, a part-time off-spinner, broke the partnership when he Thakur edging a drive to Overton at slip.Pant, a delivery after completing a 105-ball half-century, was caught and bowled by Moeen off a hard-hit drive.But the runs kept coming, with Umesh hoisting Moeen for six while fellow tailenderBumrah thumped Chris Woakes wide of mid-off for four – even more worryingly for England, key batsman Root was left hobbling after trying to intercept the ball.