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India’s hopes of levelling the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy suffered a major blow on Day 3 of the fourth Test at Old Trafford, with Joe Root’s masterful 150 putting England in a dominant position. England ended the day at 544/7, leading by 186 runs, leaving India with a massive challenge heading into the final two days.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Former England batter Jonathan Trott pinpointed the lack of support for Jasprit Bumrah as a key factor in India’s struggles.
“Bumrah’s areas were pretty good, and his economy reflects that — he was just a bit unlucky. But the bigger issue is pressure from both ends,” Trott said on JioHotstar. “He benefits massively when there’s support at the other end, and that wasn’t the case today. When you’re slightly under par as a bowling unit — like India were — control from both ends becomes crucial.”Despite Bumrah’s efforts — possibly in his final Test of the series due to workload management — India’s seamers collectively bowled 83 overs for just three wickets, while spin accounted for four in just 52 overs. Trott questioned India’s bowling combination, especially the delay in bringing on Washington Sundar and the absence of injured pacer Akash Deep.On India captain Shubman Gill’s maiden tour as skipper, Trott was sympathetic but realistic.“Shubman is on his first trip to England and has been thrown into the deep end as captain. He fought well in the first three Tests, but this match feels slightly beyond India considering the challenges and limited resources.”Trott also praised Root’s batting evolution, noting how he’s found a balance between Bazball flair and traditional technique: “He experimented early on with ramps and reverse scoops, but he’s settled now. His game is solid and adaptable. He’s stuck to what works.”Meanwhile, Sanjay Manjrekar urged India to keep fighting and look for positives.“India won’t think of a draw. If the sun stays out, they’ll look to score big and flip the pressure. But the surface is showing signs of uneven bounce — that could be a factor,” Manjrekar noted.
