Fifties from Jaiswal, Sudharsan steer India to 264/4 on day one
Manchester, Jul 23 (PTI): Sai Sudharsan made the opportunity count in his comeback game with a fifty while Rishabh Pant suffered another injury as India played the old-fashioned way to reach 264 for four at stumps on day one of the fourth Test here on Wednesday.
At stumps, Ravindra Jadeja (19 batting off 37) and Shardul Thakur (19 batting off 36) were holding fort in fading light.
Put in to bat in overcast conditions, Indian openers KL Rahul (46 off 98 balls) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (58 off 107) put on 94 runs for their highest stand of the series before Sudharsan (61 off 151) produced a dogged knock under pressure to justify his selection over Karun Nair.
Batting alongside Sudharsan, Pant (37 retired hurt off 48) had just started flexing his muscles before missing a reverse hit off a full ball from Chris Woakes.
The impact of the ball was on Pant’s right foot, leaving him in a lot of pain and eventually he had to be taken off the field in a golf cart.
There were also blood stains on the foot, enough to unsettle the Indian fans and the dressing room. Pant had come into this must-win game after recovering from a finger injury he suffered while keeping during the Lord’s Test.
The sun stayed away for the majority of the day but the slow nature of the pitch gave the batters enough time to tackle the extra pace of Jofra Archer.
While Sudharsan was at the crease, he looked comfortable and also had luck going his way, having been dropped down the leg side on 20 by keeper Jamie Smith off Ben Stokes.
He rode that luck to play a couple of pull shots off Archer before playing a crisp back foot punch off Stokes.
The England captain, however, kept dragging an odd ball down the leg side in his effort to induce an edge off Sudharsan’s bat before resorting to the short ball tactic.
Sudharsan was up to the task until he pulled one straight into the hands of Brydon Carse at fine leg.
The young Indian batter was watchful at the start of the innings, scoring only off balls pitched on middle and leg. He flicked Archer for his first four before cover driving Liam Dawson.
Until his injury, Pant played his usual way, successfully sweeping Archer before dispatching Carse for a six down the ground.
In the afternoon session, England removed a well set Rahul and Jaiswal before sending back Shubman Gill to leave India at 149 for three at tea.
Having failed to land a wicket in the morning session, England broke through shortly after lunch with Woakes finally rewarded for relentlessly bowling in the off-stump channel. He had Rahul caught at third slip with a ball that seamed away from length.
The second wicket of the session came via left-arm spinner Dawson, who took just seven balls to strike in his first Test in eight years.
Jaiswal played for the spin but the ball did not turn that match, taking a thick outside edge on way to the first slip.
India captain Gill (12) did not last long as he misjudged an incoming ball from Stokes to not offer a shot, trapping him in front.
In the morning session, Jaiswal survived a probing spell from Woakes while Rahul looked solid as ever to steer India to 78 for no loss at lunch.
No team opting to bowl first has ever won at Old Trafford but Stokes ignored that piece of statistics on an overcast morning.
The ball did seam around but lack of pace allowed the Indian openers to play the pull shot with relative ease.
Gill thought it was a good toss to lose and that seems to be the case considering the dry and slow nature of the surface.
Woakes made it most difficult for the batters, especially Jaiswal who was beaten on a number of occasions by the England pacer.
In the first over of the match bowled by Woakes, two edges of Jaiswal’s bat did not carry, signalling there was not enough carry off the pitch.
In his eight-over spell, Woakes was pulled twice with Rahul and Jaiswal dispatching him in front of the square.
A streaky drive from Rahul off Woakes brought the Indian opener’s 1000 runs in England, a testament to his stellar work at the top of the order even in this series.
Jaiswal, who was removed by Archer twice at Lord’s, made a conscious effort to leave balls. The southpaw was also forced to change his bat when a ball from Woakes seamed back sharply from round the wicket to hit high on his bat, breaking the handle.
The openers somehow managed to survive the first hour of play, taking India to 42 for no loss in 14 overs.
Despite backing Nair on the eve of the game, Gill dropped the number three batter for Sudharsan .
The other two were forced changes with uncapped Anshul Kamboj and Shardul Thakur making way for the injured Akash Deep and Nitish Reddy respectively.
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India, Ethiopia elevate ties to strategic partnership as PM Modi holds talks with his counterpart
Addis Ababa (PTI): India and Ethiopia on Tuesday elevated their historical ties to a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali during which they discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interest.
Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on his maiden bilateral visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace ahead of the bilateral talks, reflecting the vibrant India-Ethiopia relations rooted in shared history and a promising future.
"We are elevating India and Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties," Prime Minister Modi said during the delegation-level talks.
He thanked PM Ali for his support in India's fight against terrorism. "The support of friendly countries in this struggle against terrorism holds great significance," Modi said.
"Today, we got the opportunity to deliberate on the key aspects of our cooperation, such as economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, capacity-building and multilateral cooperation. I am pleased that today, we have decided to double the student scholarship for Ethiopia in India," Modi said.
Modi said that India and Ethiopia have shared contact, dialogue, and exchange for thousands of years. The two countries, which are rich in languages and traditions, are symbols of unity in diversity, he added.
"Both countries are democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity. We are co-travellers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder," he said.
The two sides signed eight MoUs/agreements, including upgrading ties to 'Strategic Partnership', customs cooperation, establishing data center at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, UN Peacekeeping training cooperation, debt restructuring under G20, more ICCR scholarships and AI short courses for Ethiopians, and support for maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Modi said the African Union's headquarters in Ethiopia makes the country a meeting point of African diplomacy. "Inspired by the common vision of an inclusive world, in 2023, India ensured that the African Union became a G20 member," he said.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
Modi said that though this is his first visit, he felt a deep sense of belonging and warmth, reflecting the thousands of years of connection between the two countries.
On his part, Prime Minister Ali said the two countries share over thousands of years of connection through trade, diplomacy, education, culture and even in our food and traditions. "These ties continue to shape a deep friendship, collaboration and mutual respect between our people," he said.
"We also appreciate your consistent message that Africa's priorities must lead the partnership. These kinds of dignified, respectful messages for Africa are very important. Mr Prime Minister, keep pushing. That is the type of message we are expecting from all our trusted friends," Ali said.
He said this aligned fully with Ethiopia's development plan - African-owned, African-led, and African-defined.
"Today, we meet with a clear focus to shape a modern partnership, grounded in sovereignty, self-reliance and practical cooperation. Our cooperation is rooted in equality and South-South solidarity," he said.
"Our economy is performing strongly. Last year, we grew 9.2% and this year we are expecting 10.3% GDP growth. Besides GDP growth, our FDI inflow is also rising big time. India is the leading source for our FDI," he said.
"We have more than 615 Indian companies which are investing in Ethiopia. This all gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust. I think our decision today that we elevate our historic relationship to a strategic relationship is the right decision," he added.
Ethiopia also conferred its highest award - The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia - on PM Modi. He is the first global head of state to receive this award.
Prime Minister Modi also went to the Friendship Park and Friendship Square in Addis Ababa with PM Ali.
In a warm and special gesture, PM Modi was earlier received by his Ethiopian counterpart at the airport and accorded a warm and colourful welcome.
"Ethiopia is a nation with great history and vibrant culture," Modi said.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
"At Addis Ababa airport, took part in a traditional Coffee Ceremony with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The ceremony beautifully highlights Ethiopia’s rich heritage," Modi said.
In a unique gesture, the Ethiopian Prime Minister drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
"Gratitude to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for showing me glimpses of Ethiopian history and culture at the National Palace Museum in Addis Ababa. It was a powerful reminder of Ethiopia’s rich traditions," Modi said in a post on X.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
"Thank you Ethiopia for a welcome that was unforgettable. The Indian community showed remarkable warmth and affection. India-Ethiopia friendship is going to get even more robust in the times to come," Modi said.
When Modi arrived at the hotel, he was warmly welcomed by the members of the Indian community. Local artists performed dances. Some of them danced on the theme of the popular Hindi song 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' to welcome him.
On Wednesday, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
