Ind vs Eng: Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes delay an inevitable win for India

Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the dismissal of Jonny Bairstow on Day Four of the third Test at Trent Bridge yesterday. Pic/Getty Images

Fifty minutes into Day Four and it seemed like the Trent Bridge Test would not last past the tea interval. The Indian seamers and the slip cordon had converted the relentless pressure into four wickets. Resuming on 23 for no loss, the hosts had slumped to 62-4 and a quick finish was on the cards. However, for the next four hours, Jos Butler and Ben Stokes defied India strolling to victory by sharing a defiant partnership of 169.

Jasprit Bumrah picked up a fifer, as England ended Day Four on 311-9. On an epic and riveting day of Test cricket, the pendulum swung both ways. First, it was India who grabbed the initiative. Ishant Sharma, bowling around the wicket, removed Keaton Jennings and Alistair Cook in two consecutive overs. Both English openers were unable to cope with Ishant's angle from around the wicket as they offered easy catches to the cordon.

England skipper Joe Root (13) had an intriguing battle with Bumrah. He played and missed half a dozen times before finally edging one to second slip trying to punch off the back foot. Ollie Pope (16) followed soon after trying to drive a wide ball from Mohammed Shami only to be brilliantly caught by Virat Kohli at third slip.

At that stage, England needed a rearguard action to lift the morale of the dressing room and it came in the form of Butler. The wicketkeeper-batsman was dropped on one by Rishabh Pant, a difficult one-hander to his right. But since that reprieve, he looked at ease as he took the attack to the Indian bowlers. Buttler's cover driving was a treat to watch as kept threading the needle between cover and mid-off with consummate ease.

On the other end, Ben Stokes proved to be an ideal partner as the all-rounder frustrated India with a combination of defence and the odd shot. But as the sun shone brightly, so did Butler. The wicketkeeper-batsmen bought up his maiden Test century with three fours in one over of Shami. Just when Day Five loomed, Bumrah took the second new ball and knocked over Butler, Jonny Bairstow and Chris Woakes in the space of eight deliveries. Hardik Pandya removed Stokes for 62 before Stuart Broad and Adil Rashid prolonged the match.

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