Tongue keeps England alive after Rahul & Pant tons
- BBC News
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Rahul and Pant both make centuries as India set England 371 to win
First Rothesay Test, Headingley (day four of five)
India 471 (Gill 147, Pant 134, Jaiswal 101) & 364 (Rahul 137, Pant 118; Tongue 3-72)
England 465 (Pope 106, Brook 99, Bumrah 5-83) & 21-0
England need 350 more runs, India need 10 wickets
India were given the upper hand by wonderful centuries from KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant before Josh Tongues devastating burst kept England in the first Test.
Opener Rahul stroked a classical 137 and Pant a typically entertaining 118, putting India on course for a fourth-day declaration.
But Tongue took three wickets in four deliveries to help dismiss India for 364, setting England 371 to win. India lost their last six wickets for 31 runs.
Faced with pulling off their second-highest successful chase in a Test, England survived six overs on Monday, three bowled by Jasprit Bumrah. The hosts are 21-0.
It sets up the prospect of a grandstand finale on Tuesday with all four results possible. It could be another Headingley classic.
Left-hander Pant became only the second batter to make hundreds in each innings in a Test on this ground and the second wicketkeeper to do so anywhere.
Rahul was put down on 58 by Harry Brook at gully, while Pant survived edges though vacant slip regions on 31 and 45, Tongue the bowler on all three occasions. Pant also drove past a diving Ben Stokes on 75 off Shoaib Bashir, but it would have been a sensational catch.
This ground has history for extraordinary finishes and big run chases, though England have to deal with a pitch that is increasingly producing venomous bounce from a length.
Under Stokes, England have committed to never playing for a draw, so their approach on Tuesday could be an examination of philosophy, made more intriguing by a mixed weather forecast.
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Super, super, super! - Pant makes magnificent century as India dominate
Just when this fabulous, fluctuating Test looked to have taken a decisive direction, it turned again. India are strong favourites, even if England chased 378 to beat them at Edgbaston three years ago.
Much of the day belonged to Rahul and Pant. What made their batting all the more impressive was the way they survived the morning session, when England collectively produced their best bowling spell of the match.
After Shubman Gill chopped Brydon Carse on to his stumps from the seventh ball of the day, India were three down and 98 ahead.
The lead was 129 when Brook, arguably Englands best fielder, put down Rahul, while Englands post-lunch tactics were bizarre and not in keeping with Stokes usual aggression.
Needing wickets to get into the game, Tongue bowled to Pant without any slips. The first edge went through first slip, so England put a catcher there. The next edge went through second slip.
If England deserve criticism for missing chances, they deserve praise for hanging in the contest. Tongue blew away the lower order to keep the target within reach.
England opted for this scenario when they chose to field first. They now attempt a pursuit on a ground that has produced six successful chases in excess of 250 - only the Melbourne Cricket Ground has had more in Test cricket. Four of those six chases in Leeds have come in the past eight years.
Given Englands regular rate of scoring, a dry day on Tuesday should give them enough time. However, they will be up against the genius of Bumrah on the increasingly difficult surface.
And what if the weather makes the chase even more fanciful? Do England possess the pragmatism to leave Leeds level in this five-match series?
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Hes splattered the stumps! - Tongue takes three wickets in four balls
Rahul and Pant are the two most experienced members of the new-look India top order and they needed all of their nous to guide their team into the ascendancy.
They played contrasting roles in their stand of 195. Rahul, with orthodoxy, showed sound judgement and solid defence. When England over-pitched, he played his trademark cover drives.
Pant battled with himself. There were a number of occasions early in his stay when a swipe, dance or attempted scoop could have been his undoing. He chastised himself and settled into a disciplined innings.
Englands chances came either side of lunch. Only after Pant reached 50 did he begin to open his shoulders. Bashir, Englands least-threatening bowler, was belted for two straight sixes in the same over.
Rahul took 202 deliveries to reach three figures, Pant watchfully took 22 balls for his final five runs in the 90s, yet still had a century in 130. Unlike the first innings, there was no sommersault to celebrate.
He eventually holed out off Bashir, opening an end for England with the second new ball. Rahul dragged on off Carse and Karun Nair pushed a return catch to Chris Woakes, but India were still on course for a lead in excess of 400. Enter Tongue.
Charging down the slope, he had Shardul Thakur edge to slip and, next ball, Mohammed Siraj could only glove a vicious bouncer behind. Bumrah survived the hat-trick ball then lost his middle stump trying to slog the next.
The lead when the ninth wicket fell was 355. It said everything about Indias opinion of their advantage that Ravindra Jadeja farmed the strike from number 11 Prasidh Krishna, eking out runs and eating up time before Krishna was well held by a tumbling Tongue at deep mid-wicket off Bashir.
England were left just under half an hour to bat. Zak Crawley, on 12, and Ben Duckett, with nine, came through with confidence and purpose. What a Test match.
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Full of patience and determination - Rahul makes century for India
England bowler Josh Tongue, speaking to Test Match Special: "A really grinding day.
"I dont mind bowling at the tail, all I tried to do was hit the ground hard. Im happy to do any role in the team.
"Its been a great game of cricket. Its all been positive in the changing room, theres been no negativity at all, hopefully we can get through the line."
India opener KL Rahul, speaking to Sky Sports: "Its a blockbuster finish waiting tomorrow.
"At this stage of cricket Im at, Im a lot more calm in my head and not chasing numbers.
"Someones got to win tomorrow, itll be an interesting day. The wicket is not as easy as the first innings, they wont find it as easy to hit the ball on the rise."
Former England spinner Phil Tufnell on TMS: "Lets hope the rain stays away because it will be a cracker of a day five if it does."
Former England captain Michael Vaughan on TMS: "It is a lot of runs but if theres anyone that could go out there, be positive and chase it, its this England side."
