Eng vs Ind, 4th Test: Pant, Thakur enable visitors to extend lead to 346 (Tea, Day 4)

London [UK], September 5 (ANI): Rishabh Pant and Shardul Thakur piled on the misery on England bowlers as India reached a dominant position in the second session of Day 4 of the ongoing fourth Test against England here at the Kennington Oval on Sunday.

At tea, India's score read 445/8-- a lead of 346 runs with two wickets in hand. For the visitors, Umesh Yadav (13*) and Jasprit Bumrah (19*) are currently at the crease.

Resuming the second session at 329/6, Pant and Thakur added 46 more runs inside one hour and this put the English bowlers on the back foot, with the visitors extending their lead to more than 250. Shardul carried on with his form and he brought up his second fifty of the match in the 134th over.

England skipper Joe Root finally brought about the dismissal as he sent Thakur (60) back to the pavilion, ending the 100-run stand for the seventh wicket, reducing India to 412/7. Pant (50) also registered his half-century in the 138th over of the innings, however, as soon as he reached the landmark, the left-hander ended up losing his wicket to Moeen Ali.

In the end, Umesh and Bumrah ensured that India does not lose more wickets before the tea interval.

Earlier, Ravindra Jadeja, Ajinkya Rahane, and Virat Kohli might have lost their wickets but India extended their lead to 230 in the opening session. At lunch, India's score read 329/6 -- a lead of 230 runs with four wickets in hand in the second essay. For the visitors, Rishabh Pant (16*) and Shardul Thakur (11*) are at the crease.

Overnight batters Kohli and Jadeja added 26 more runs to the total, before Jadeja (17) was trapped in front by Chris Woakes, ending the 59-run stand for the fourth wicket, and this brought Rahane to the middle.

Rahane (0) failed to open his account and he just last for eight balls as Woakes also had him trapped in front and India was reduced to 296/5 with the lead at 197. Rishabh Pant then joined Kohli in the middle and the duo put on 16 runs for the sixth wicket, but Moeen Ali cut short Virat's (44) knock in the 111th over.

Pant and Thakur however, ensured that the visitors do not lose more wickets before the lunch interval.

Brief Scores: India 191 and 445/8 (Rohit Sharma 127, Cheteshwar Pujara 61, Chris Woakes 2-72); England 290. (ANI)