India v England, 1st Test Day Four: Five Things We Learned

England fight to take the last six of India’s first innings wickets before adding to their lead in the evening session. For now, the draw is way out in front. Here’s what we learned from day four…

MAN OF THE DAY – Haseeb Hameed (62*)

As ESPNcricinfo’s George Dobell tweeted: “They’ve kissed a couple of frogs… but England have found their prince.” Alastair Cook’s 10th opening partner since Andrew Strauss but, whisper it, Haseeb Hameed might prove to be Mr Right, after notching his maiden half-century in Test cricket. He is also the third England batsman, after Jack Crawford and Denis Compton to register a fifty-plus score before his twenties. The charm of Hameed is not the solidity or clean off side game – it’s the clarity. Many opposition players and coaches have remarked about just how at ease Hameed is with his game: after a County Championship match against Nottinghamshire, in which Hameed had helped Lancashire bat out a draw with a second innings century, Notts director of cricket Mick Newell and several of his players remarked that he was ready then and there for the rigours of Test cricket. He has always been a good driver, but the use of his feet to Ravi Ashwin and Ravi Jadeja – hitting the latter down the ground for six – highlights how this 19-year-old gets better with each innings. He is a fast learner and, today, batted briskly to help England get to stumps with a lead of 163. While it is important to keep calm when discussing such a precocious talent, he has given England fans reasons to dream of what might be.

CENTURY STANDS

Just to underline how well Hameed and Alastair Cook have done in this Test, their opening stand today and on day one meant this was the first time since the sixth Test of the 1970-71 Ashes that England’s openers had put on a century in both innings. To do so on the subcontinent makes it all the more noteworthy. Such was the way they battled Ashwin and Jadeja that Virat Kohli had to go to seam from both ends to keep Cook and Hameed quiet. Looks like the top order woes of 2016 might be slowly correcting themselves.

ASHWIN THE ALLROUNDER

Of India’s supposed weaknesses – and there really aren’t many – was Ravi Ashwin’s presence at number six on the batting card. But it speaks volumes that, for the last 18 months, his captain Virat Kohli has been keen to give him more responsibility with the bat. It is often said that Ashwin’s style is almost a carbon copy of VVS Laxman but Kohli identified substance to Ashwin’s game and mentality that gave him no qualms about bestowing more responsibility on his number one strike bowler. While Ajinkya Rahane failed to keep out Zafar Ansari, Ashwin’s judgement throughout his 139-ball 70 to take India from 349 to 488, when he became the last man out, attempting to plunder quick runs with number 11 Mohammed Shami. So far in an impressive 2016, he has scored 376 runs at an average of 47, with two hundreds and today’s half-century.

HIT WICKET!

Be honest, how great was that? Obviously not for India or Kohli – then again, maybe that added to your glee – but in a game as serious and hard-fought as Test cricket, it’s always nice to have a quick interlude for some incompetence. Having gone back to pull Adil Rashid through midwicket, Kohli stepped back onto his leg stump and knocked off a bail. If you’ve not watched it – here’s the video. Of all the ways to get out one of the world’s best batsmen, think it’s safe to assume England had not bothered looking into that one. Remarkably, he has previous in ODIs against… yes, you’ve guessed it – England!

WHAT NEXT

It’s a tough ask for England to try and turn this into a win. The pitch is turning but the fact that Hameed was able to drive out of the rough, as well as he played, shows that the tourists probably need to bat India out of the game before declaring. With a lead of 163, let’s assume Cook would like 350, which going by the current run rate, will take 60 overs (give or take an acceleration from Root, Duckett, Stokes, Bairstow and Ali). Given how things have panned out so far, 30 overs is not enough time to take 10 wickets. Barring a hellacious collapse – from either side – chalk this one up as a draw.