The air at Old Trafford on the first day of the fourth Test between India and England wasn’t just full of excitement; it also had the familiar, sad smell of Manchester rain. Some people call this series the “Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy”, and it has already given us a lot of drama, heartbreak, and unlikely victories. It seemed like it was ready to serve up a new plate of the unpredictable today.
A Chance of Fate and the Ongoing Threat
Ben Stokes, the always aggressive captain, won his fourth toss in a row, and since it was cloudy, he chose to bowl first. It’s ironic that no team that won the toss and bowled first has ever won an Old Trafford Test. But this England team, led by Stokes and McCullum, has a history of rewriting history.
Shubman Gill, the young Indian captain, said he was “confused” at the toss, which is something a lot of us viewers felt too. The pitch looked solid, with a hint of green, even though it had been raining a lot in the days leading up to the match. . Reports had said that there was a 30–60% chance of rain all day. When the covers stayed off, it felt like a sigh of relief for a moment. They looked closely at every cloud that passed by and every gust of wind felt like a silent prayer for clear skies.
India’s New Look and a Newcomer’s Dream
India, still a little shaken by the Lord’s loss, made three changes. A few people were surprised to see Sai Sudharsan come back at number three, taking over for Karun Nair. But the first game for Anshul Kamboj, the young Haryana pacer, as he got his Test cap, a moment every young cricketer dreams of. India’s fast bowlers had been having a lot of problems with injuries, so Kamboj’s promotion felt like a real shot at a dream.
Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer, who were both coming back to Test cricket with a lot of pressure on them, found movement. Yashasvi Jaiswal was always on the attack, while KL Rahul was calm and steady as they got through the first storm. The cat-and-mouse game between bat and ball makes Test match opening spells very beautiful. But indian batters negotiate all hurdles coming to them with their hard work and reach the score 78/0 in first session.
The Hours of Grinding and a Little Drama
The clouds went away for a while during lunch, but the feeling that the day was on a knife-edge stayed. The openers for India did well to stay in the game, putting on a stand that was almost a century. Jaiswal kept playing with style and reached a well-deserved half-century. He bats with a youthful enthusiasm that spreads joy. At the same time, Rahul was the steady hand and the anchor. It was a partnership that promised a lot, a way for India to get a big lead. But we all know that Test cricket is a fickle sport. Things change just when you start to get used to them and think the clouds have finally cleared. Chris Woakes, who was very determined, finally broke up the partnership by getting Rahul out.
Then came the moment that really took the breath out of a lot of Indian lungs. Liam Dawson, who was playing his first Test in eight years, got the prized wicket of Jaiswal. And then captain, Shubman Gill, left with a low score. The story changed with each wicket that fell, as it always does.
The Pant Problem and the Spirit of the Game
Then came the moment that went beyond the score and went straight to the heart of human spirit. Rishabh Pant, who has been a surprise this series with his bold strokeplay, tried to hit a Chris Woakes delivery with a reverse-sweep. The ball hit him squarely on the toe, a little faster than he had expected. The grimace on his face, the English players’ immediate concern, and the ambulance on the field all served as a stark reminder of how hard this beautiful game is on the body. At its core, it’s always hard to see a player in so much pain.
It was comforting to see Ravindra Jadeja, a familiar face of calm in the middle of the chaos, take his place. India was at 264 for 4 at the end of day one at Old Trafford, with Jadeja and Shardul Thakur at the crease.
The light had faded, and it was getting dark like it does in Manchester every night. The umpires called stumps early. There were times when things went well and times when they didn’t. Even though people thought the pitch would be “flat” and “slow” at first, it had enough for the bowlers, especially since the air was humid.As a cricket fan, you put away your feelings for the day: the anger at rain delays, the excitement of a well-played shot, and the worry for an injured player. You think back on the great drives, the sharp catches, and the subtle seam movement. And you can’t wait for tomorrow, when another chapter in this interesting story will begin. You hope that the weather in Manchester will be better and that the game will continue to be exciting.
