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England face record chase in Test vs India

Staff WritersReuters
Rishabh Pant compiled a half-century to put India in strong position against England at Edgbaston.
Camera IconRishabh Pant compiled a half-century to put India in strong position against England at Edgbaston. Credit: AP

England will have to score a record 378 in the fourth innings to win their Test series decider against India at Edgbaston.

This followed dismissing tourists moved for 245 after they had resumed on 3-125.

The final six wickets fell for 55 runs with captain Ben Stokes finishing with 4-33.

England have already chased targets of 277, 299 and 296 to beat New Zealand in the past month, but this is a much steeper task.

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However, with a win needed to square the series 2-2 and a promise to play attacking cricket to live up to, the hosts are unlikely to do anything other than go for broke.

Stokes was the inspiration behind England's current record fourth-innings success, hunting down 359 in the 2019 Ashes classic at Headingley, and has already made it clear that playing for the draw is not an option.

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Cheteshwar Pujara had pieced together a careful half-century on day three, diligently growing India's position of strength, but came out with greater intent on Monday morning.

His new approach brought a couple of early boundaries off James Anderson but his increased tempo came with a price, and he fell for 66 when he slashed Stuart Broad straight to backward point.

Rishabh Pant, backing up a superb first-innings century, was on hand to take over the reins as he and Shreyas Iyer continued to attack.

Pant had a life on 45, dropped one-handed by Zak Crawley at slip off Broad, but Iyer's lively 19-run cameo ended when he pulled a Matthew Potts short ball to deep midwicket.

Anderson held the catch, becoming the sixth player in history to take 100 in Tests alongside 1000 runs and 100 wickets.

The rest of the names on that list, Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Ian Botham, Carl Hooper, Shane Warne and Jacques Kallis place him in elite company.

Pant, meanwhile, galloped to his half-century before giving it away on 57.

He was off balance as he attempted a pre-meditated reverse sweep against Jack Leach, feathering through to Joe Root, who did well to ignore the tangle of limbs and watch the ball.

Stokes then wrapped up the tail including bowling Ravinda Jadeja for 23.

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