Test Match Breakfast takes a look at some of the biggest issues around cricket during England’s huge fourth Test against India at Old Trafford.
Ahead of day four of the crunch fourth game of the five-match series, RICHARD GIBSON discusses whether Joe Root can surpass Sachin Tendulkar, Ben Stokes’ unwanted record and the former India star who has questioned one player’s omission from the series so far.
The person to call it
Joe Root’s historic moment came at 3.35pm when he opened the face of the bat and guided a single backward of point off Anshul Kamboj.
Fittingly, it was Australian Ricky Ponting – the man he surpassed as Test cricket’s second top run scorer – on commentary for Sky Sports as the crowd stood as one to applaud.
‘The way his career has gone over the last four or five years, there’s absolutely no reason why not,’ Ponting said, on whether Root, having moved to 13378 runs could beat India great Sachin Tendulkar’s tally of 15921. At the age of 34, it could be a race against the clock to do so.
Once past Ponting, his requirement to become No 1 was a further 2544 runs. At the rate he has scored his most recent 2544, that would take him 28 further matches, and around two and a half years, when he will be 37.
Joe Root moved to second on the all-time run-scoring charts of Test cricket in the afternoon
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting – the man he passed – was on commentary for the moment
A man for the big occasion
Ben Stokes went out to bat on Friday with yet another Test record to his name – the longest spell between five-wicket hauls.
England captain Stokes bowled in 100 Test innings between the fourth and fifth five-wicket hauls of his career, breaking the previous high of 89 by Wally Hammond.
The 34-year-old bagged six for 22 in the first innings of the Lord’s win over West Indies in September 2017 and finished with five for 72 after asking India to bat first here.
As one wag pointed out, there was one more Stokes statistic that stood out regarding his batting – this was the first time he had been struck amidships since… the previous Test at Lord’s.
Unsurprisingly, there was little sympathy from bowler Mohammed Siraj in his follow through as Stokes winced on the turf.
A tribute to Ben
Beer all round at the Oval next week in celebration of England’s all-conquering Test captain.
Anyone mad enough to change their name to Ben Stokes by deed poll ahead of the fifth Test will be rewarded with free drinks for life by Market Place, Vauxhall.
And even those not called Ben Stokes will be recipients of their chosen tipple on the house. ‘Just bring your ID (or a train ticket from Stoke) and raise a glass to one of England’s greatest all-rounders,’ they say.
Ben Stokes now has another Test record to his name as having the longest amount of time between five-fors
He also went a grand total of one Test since being struck amidships – which happened once again on Friday
Gill gets it wrong
Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin slated the omission of left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav from this series so far, saying it had blown his mind.
Posting on YouTube, Ashwin questioned why the Indians, led by Shubman Gill and trailing 2-1 heading into the penultimate Test of five, had looked to add batting depth with the selection of seam bowler Shardul Thakur in the XI.
Thakur contributed just 11 per cent of India’s overs on the second day of this match, returning figures of 5-0-34-0.
‘If you are only planning to give Shardul Thakur this many overs, and expect 20-30 runs from him – I love Shardul Thakur, I like him a lot – but if this is the usage point, why can’t you consider Kuldeep Yadav? It is just blowing my head away,’ Ashwin said.
‘I know it seems against the grain because it is three spinners, but it is not that way. Ravindra Jadeja is a specialist batter for you now. Washington Sundar is also batting well. When your bowlers can bat so well, why are you not bringing an attacking bowler?
‘I am not saying that Kuldeep would have picked up five wickets if he were playing, but it plays with a batter’s mind. The wickets in India last year were similar too – flat and lots of runs – and he had bowled well. A lot of these guys don’t pick him, and this was a great opportunity.’
Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin slated the omission of left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav from the series
Yadav has been in India’s travelling squad but is yet to feature in the four matches so far
Rehan Ahmed became the first English player in 45 years to core a hundred and take 13 wickets in a First-Class match
Knocking on the door – again!
Wrist-spinner became the first English player since Ian Botham 45 years ago to score a hundred and take 13 wickets in a First-Class match yesterday.
Ashes hopeful Rehan Ahmed completed a return of 13 for 144 with the ball after hitting 115 in the first innings of Division Two leaders Leicestershire’s impressive win over Derbyshire in the County Championship.
Botham’s 13 for 106 and 114 came in the Jubilee Test between India and England in Mumbai.
Roll up, roll up
Every match of this series has gone to its final session and in anticipation of a repeat in Manchester, more than half of fifth day tickets have been sold.
Under 9,000 remain, available at £26 for adults and £6 for juniors.