India in England: Pankaj Singh Strikes at Last

India's Pankaj Singh finally took his first Test wicket when he dismissed England's Joe Root on the third day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford on Saturday. (Scorecard | Highlights | Report | Pics)

The tall paceman had threatened to become the most expensive wicket-less bowler in Test history. (Broad suffers nose blow from nasty Varun Aaron bouncer)

His return of none for 179 in England's 266-run victory in the third Test at Southampton, a result that levelled the five-match series at 1-1, saw him record the most expensive figures by a Test match debutant without a wicket.(Dhoni Calls for Improvement in Batting After Manchester Debacle)

Added to his Friday figures, that left the 6 feet 6inches tall Pankaj Singh with an overall Test record of none for 258. (Didn't think we would win inside three days, says Alastair Cook)

But when he had Root caught gloving down the leg-side by India captain and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for 77, the 29-year-old Rajasthan paceman had taken his first Test wicket, albeit he had conceded 274 runs in the process. When Root was dismissed, Singh's innings figures stood at one for 95 in 22.2 overs.

Singh, a key figure in Rajasthan's run to the first Ranji Trophy they ever won in 2010/11 and again in 2011/12, soon had reason to be smiling again. He deceived Jos Buttler (77) with a well-disguised slower ball the wicketkeeper chipped straight to Cheteshwar Pujara at mid-off.  Buttler's exit meant that, after a lengthy wait, Singh had now taken two wickets for four runs in the space of just 15 balls.

England finished with a lead of 215 runs in the first innings and bowled India out for just 161 to clinch a win by an innings and 54 runs to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.