England have taken full control of the ongoing fourth Test against India at Old Trafford, ending day three with a commanding lead of 186 runs. The hosts closed the day at a towering 544/7, powered by an excellent 150 from Joe Root, who played a masterclass innings.
England started day three strongly, capitalising on a solid foundation laid by openers Zak Crawley (84) and Ben Duckett (94). The pair had already unsettled the Indian bowlers on day two. Their 150-plus opening partnership provided England the ideal platform to mount a massive first-innings score.
Meanwhile, Joe Root took the game away from India. Coming in to bat at a crucial juncture, Root demonstrated his trademark resilience, negotiating Indian bowlers calmly. He received solid support from the middle order, with handy contributions from Ollie Pope and Ben Stokes, helping England extend their lead. Pope scored a brilliant 71, while Stokes remains unbeaten on 77.
Now, as the match heads into day four (Saturday), England will look to pile on more runs and push their lead beyond 250. For India, they will look to dismantle England and stop them from building a significant lead. Moreover, unless India produce something extraordinary with bat and ball, this match could mark a significant shift in the series momentum.