After conceding a 311-run first innings lead to England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester, India went two down without even opening their account. It was the pair of Shubman Gill and KL Rahul that saved India's blushes, at least for the day. The duo dug in heels to help the visitors make recovery and fight back. Both the players got off to a slow start but made sure India didn't lose wickets in cluster. While talking about the resilience of the two players, former India pacer Ashish Nehra praised both of them. He even termed that Gill's fifty in the innings was better than the 269 he scored in the Birmingham Test against England.
"Shubman Gill has scored a lot of runs. But some pitches that he has played on earlier are flat. We have been talking about it that he would not be getting those pitches in England. But this is not like that. So, the way he has played this innings on this surface, I will say his current fifty is better than the 250 (269) he scored. Yes, a double hundred is double hundred. Stats are a different thing. But he has looked really good. On the context of the game, the pitch and the series, it is not easy for any young player that too when you are the captain," said Nehra on Star Sports.
Ben Stokes' all-round show across the first two innings of the match helped England take a massive lead of 311 runs. The England captain won the toss and opted to bowl first against India in the game. The Three Lions then bowled out the visitors for 358 before scoring 669 runs. Stokes picked a five-wicket haul (5 for 72) being the standout bowler for England. He performed in batting as well with a fine-tuned 141. Joe Root was the leading run-scorer for England in the innings with a 150-run knock.
India trail 1-2 in the five-match series against England. They lost the first game by 5 wickets before registering a 336-run victory. The Shubman Gill-led side lost the third Test at Lord's by 22 runs.