India are slowly forcing themselves ahead in the fourth Test against England to take an unassailable lead in their five-match series, but on a deteriorating pitch all results are still possibilities in Mumbai. Join The Roar for live scores of Day 4 from 3pm (AEDT).
Given the state of the series where even a draw ensures England can’t come back to tie it at 2-2 in Chennai, the tourists are going to need to take a few risks to come from behind and win this match.
England winning the toss for this match in Mumbai, on a pitch that played quite well on the first day but has become spin-friendly in a hurry looked like their biggest asset.
But for the second straight match they squandered the opportunity.
Four hundred is nothing to be laughed at but was still below par for an English side who now find themselves behind on the first innings after three days thanks to the brilliance of Virat Kohli.
Only debutant Keaton Jennings could go past the century mark for England, with others making starts but not going on with it, which against India is simply not good enough.
Given all ten wickets were taken between Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja and that the pair looked progressively dangerous as the innings went on, there is no doubting exactly how many wickets could fall over the next two days.
With England’s spinners struggling to take wickets in reply, India have danced away to a 50 run lead with three wickets in hand thanks to Kohli who has led the way 147 not out and Murali Vijay who scored 136.
While most others haven’t gotten going, they haven’t needed to and India find themselves in a dominating position.
Day 4 Prediction
The way the match is currently set up, it’s difficult to give a timescale on exactly when it might come to an end, but it could be today despite plenty of action still needing to happen.
England could well collapse in their second innings and leave India a very small or no target at all to chase down in their second innings – supposedly the most difficult of the match.
It’s not hard to see why India don’t want a score to chase either given the current state of the pitch.
India seems to be in the stronger position and at home, it’s hard to see them not knocking over England cheaply. While the match shouldn’t end today, it’s certainly a possibility.
When England do get back to the crease, it’s going to be about batting for time and building an innings, but unlike the first innings actually going on with it.
Trying to defend for long periods and see spinners off simply won’t work – Ravichandran Ashwin would have a field day.
India should be on the verge of victory by the end of today though.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores of the fourth day’s play in Mumbai from 3pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to get involved in the action by dropping a comment below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
The fact you need to give the Olympics excuse seems to be admission of your absence as well As for I, I am on anytime there is a test on. You will never see me for ODI's/T20's for I have zero interest in them
Tim
Guest
Funny Nudge only saw you once or twice all series. Maybe you were 'frontrunning' elsewhere
Nudge
Guest
I was on it regularly mate during that time. Go back and have a look. Was absorbed in the Olympics but I was still about. It just so happens you've hung around for the your first summer which is no surprise considering Oz a losing
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
The English brains trust went into the match with more quicks than spin options. Nice work that.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
Strange thing for you to focus on Nudge, considering you pretty much disappeared from ROAR during Australia's tour of Sri Lanka :)
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
Great days cricket All dues to india for a very impressive display but also a call out to England for showing some plumbs. After the mental blow of India miraculously getting a 230 run lead after being under the cosh it would have been easy to crumble for England when batting. Barring a miracle, England will still likely lose but if they go down fighting it will gain a modicum of respect This said, a few standouts Root was very good but he had to find a way to go on and score a decisive big score as a true batting master would have. His style was very like Michael Clarke but the great Aussie would have scored a big hundred. Root's test record is very impressive but a stand out is his conversion rate from scores over 50 to making hundreds. He needs to be better in this regard. Moeen Ali isnt a test batsmans bootlace. People will instantly point to his century in the first test but that was greatly aided by the very curious fields set that allowed him to score at will and keep him away from his frequent moments of madness. He polarises opinions Moeen, for he poses more questions than gives answers in all his disciplines Stokes- it is great to be proactive with attack but playing a reverse sweep 15 minutes from stumps when your team is struggling is pretty dumb As for India, everything emanates from the control of Jadeja and it will be interesting to see how they change their tactics away from home or will they try to maintain it by batting Ashwin at 6 to accommodate Jadeja? Fabulous cricketer that is a key in this Indian side
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
And if they take Shaun Marsh...
brains of a bimbo (atgm)
Guest
Nope they always check everything
brains of a bimbo (atgm)
Guest
You know what they say: Even a Bruce Oxenford is right twice a day. Dan liebke
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Not sure if he is allowed to? I think he can only check for what is referred.
brains of a bimbo (atgm)
Guest
Dnt know y tthe 3rd umpire didnt check it for an lbw.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Shocking umpiring at the moment. Even Kohli fielding at slip was smiling and showing how far away the bat was from the ball on the first decision.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Can't edit my comment, but Nudge I think the reason the tracks were a bit lifeless is that CA didn't want blokes getting badged on the 6 o'clock news after the Phil Hughes tragedy -- plus the Australians bowled with all the hostility of a spring lamb (outside of that Johnson spell in Brisbane where he'd been copping a lot of verbal and fired up), so it's hard to say if it was the pithces or just the mindset.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
I would like a surprise, but I'm not going to hold my breath for India to be strong in tests outside their comfort zone; we'll have a much better gauge in 2018 when India leave the subcontinent again (well, besides that tour of the West Indies, but that's not a particularly good gauge of anything).
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Nudge - Fair enough. The pitches were easy to play on. But I personally think you will be underestimating India grossly exactly as most Australians underestimated a Steyn and AB less SAF. It will be an interesting series when it happens.
brains of a bimbo (atgm)
Guest
Worst decision ever
Nudge
Guest
The only reason India were half competitive in Australia last time Anindya was because cricket Australia knew that if they prepared fast bouncy tracks the matches wouldn't go into a fourth day. Instead they produced dull boring wickets so India could stay in the tests till the last day hence CA making plenty of money. India have 1 bowler who could do well in Australia and that is Shami. Swann averaged 50 in Australia Murali 70. Aussie bats will never lose sleep about facing Àhwin in Oz.
brains of a bimbo (atgm)
Guest
Bairstow nd stokes perform well under pressure.they r Englands last hope to save nd possibly win this test
brains of a bimbo (atgm)
Guest
Key wkt for India.j yadav gets a lot of bounce nd bowls slower than other offies
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Ok that's the end of England. Root goes. Plumb. Walks.