PICS: India vs England, first Test, Day 4

Images from Day 4 of the first Test between India and England, at the M A Chidambaram stadium, in Chennai. 

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India lost opener Rohit Sharma early while chasing a daunting 420-run target, ending day four of the first Test against England at 39 for 1 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Monday.

Shubman Gill (15) and Cheteshwar Pujara (12) were at the crease when stumps were drawn. The hosts need another 381 runs for an improbable win on day five.

India batted for 13 overs in the final session after England were all out for 178 in the second innings.

Ashwin was the pick of the bowlers for India on the day, finishing with figures of 6/61 as England were bowled out for a low score in their second innings.

Rohit was dismissed cheaply for the second time in the game with left-arm spinner Jack Leach getting through his defence with a beauty.

Australian great Shane Warne was among those who questioned England's tactics in the final session during which they could have declared before being bowled out.

The visitors found the going tough in their second essay after bowling out India for 337 in their first innings to take a 241-run lead.

If India manage to chase the target it will be highest ever successful run chase in Test history. The previous best is 418.

England struggled a bit as the pitch became tougher for stroke-making. Skipper Joe Root was top-scorer with his 40-run knock while Ollie Pope (28) was the next best.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who dismissed opener Rory Burns earlier in the day, snared Dominic Sibley (16), Ben Stokes (7), Dom Bess (25) and Jofra Archer (5) to complete his 28th five-wicket haul.

He also got rid of James Anderson to end the England innings.

Session 1

India conceded a huge first-innings lead of 241 runs despite Washington Sundar's unbeaten 85 after being dismissed for 337 in the morning session on Monday, Day 4 of the first Test against England.

Replying to England's mammoth 578, the home team finished well short of the follow-on target after Jack Leach broke an 80-run seventh-wicket partnership by dismissing Ravichandran Ashwin for the day's first breakthrough.

England, however, did not enforce the follow-on, and were 1 for 1 in two overs in their second innings at the lunch break after Ravichandran Ashiwn dismissed Rory Burns for a duck off the first delivery.

India began the day on 257 for 6 in their first innings and the duo of Sundar and Ashwin frustrated the English bowlers by adding 48 runs before left-arm spinner Leach struck.

Ashwin scored 31 off 91 balls, inclusive of three boundaries and a six.

Leach, after going wicket-less on Day 3, struck again, dismissing Shahbaz Nadeem (0). The batsman looked to defend off the backfoot but was done in by the extra bounce and caught in the slips by Ben Stokes.

India were reduced to 312 for 8 in 91 overs, still 67 runs short of avoiding the follow-on.

A cracking short delivery from James Anderson proved Ishant Sharma’s undoing. The ball was aimed at the body and Ishant (4) could only fend it off to the leg side for Ollie Pope to take the catch.

Anderson then ended India's first innings with the wicket of Jasprit Bumrah, who edged the ball which was brilliantly taken at first slip by Stokes, who dived full length to the right to take a stunning one-handed catch.

Ashwin opened the bowling in England's second innings and struck with the first delivery, dismissing Burns for a duck.

The England opener, who was drawn forward, tried to defend off the front foot but got the edge and was caught by Ajinkya Rahane in the slips.

Dan Lawrence was watchful as he defended the rest of the over, looking to avoid a 'pair' after being dismissed for a duck in the first innings.

Session 2

England were 119 for five at tea after bowling out the hosts for 337 for a massive first-innings lead of 241 runs.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin picked up three wickets to lead India's fight-back before Jasprit Bumrah sent back Root, who was looking in imperious form.

Ollie Pope (18) and Jos Buttler (14) were at the crease at the tea break.

Resuming from their lunch score of 1 for 1, England sought to press ahead in the second session with Root doing the bulk of scoring.

With the pitch offering more help than it did in the first innings, Ashwin and Co got into the act.

Ashwin returned impressive figures of 3 for 49 while Ishant Sharma (1/17) picked up his 300th Test scalp in his his 98th match when he had Dan Lawrence trapped in front of the wicket.

Lawrence (18), touted as a good player of spin, looked to find ways to negate the Indian bowlers and added 32 runs with Dom Sibley (16) before the latter was castled by one that bounced from Ashwin, resulting in an inside edge which flew to the leg-slip.

Lawrence fell to Ishant off a ball that came in sharply.

Ben Stokes did not make the impact expected of him after a blazing 82 in the first, edging Ashwin while playing from his body to give the off-spinner his third wicket.

Bumrah then had Root plumb in front with a delivery that kept low. Root played some lovely strokes on his way to a 40-run knock.