England six wickets away from series win after Archer gets Gill before lunch
India lost both their overnight batters, Rahul and Gill, and still trail by 88
ESPNcricinfo staff
27-Jul-2025 • 2 hrs ago
Shubman Gill celebrates his fourth century of the series • AFP/Getty Images
Lunch India 358 and 223 for 4 (Gill 103, Rahul 90) trail England 669 by 88 runs
England took a huge step towards a series-clinching win just before lunch on the fifth day in Manchester when Jofra Archer finally dislodged Shubman Gill after 87 overs of resistance.
When Gill walked out to face a hat-trick ball in the first over of India's second innings, his team trailed by 311 runs and looked certain to lose within four days. But a doughty, defiant century - the fourth in his first series as India captain - kept the match and the series alive, trimming the deficit to under 100 and slowly wearing England's bowlers down.
Gill was given a life early on the fifth day when Ollie Pope failed to hold onto a stinging chance at short cover, and was hit on the glove and helmet as Ben Stokes broke through the pain barrier to bowl an eight-over spell from the James Anderson End. Stokes did not bowl on the fourth day due to cramp and grimaced after every ball due to a shoulder niggle.
But he was the man that gave England their first breakthrough, pinning KL Rahul on the back pad to trap him lbw and break a partnership worth 188 with Gill. Stokes exploited the variable bounce on offer throughout his spell, with some balls shooting through low and others - like the brute that struck Gill - leaping unexpectedly.
Chris Woakes took the new ball alongside Archer and occasionally beat the bat, with Gill surviving an incredibly tight leave soon after a celebratory yelp on reaching three figures. But he played away from his body to a back-of-a-length ball from Archer shortly before lunch, and edged through to Jamie Smith to make England clear favourites.