Root masters test of nerves to help steady edgy England

Whatever the reasons for his selection — perhaps because he can play spin bowling, perhaps because he bowls reasonable off-breaks himself — he did not let England down. There are more viable positions in your maiden Test than to enter the arena on 119 for four but Root looked the part.

He cover drove his third ball in international cricket for three and crisply placed his 10th firmly through mid‑wicket for his first boundary. These were the assertive strokes of a man who was at home. After that it was important that he stayed to the close and he duly accompanied Prior ­without alarm. India had selection surprises of their own, bringing in Piyush Chawla for his third Test and his first since 2008, and Ravi Jadeja for his debut. It meant their bowling attack comprised one seamer and four spinners.

Losing the toss for the first time in the series did not make such a balance ideal but they were about to demonstrate that it hardly mattered. In the fifth over Ishant Sharma, the sole surviving fast bowler, had Nick Compton edging behind one that lifted.

Then came the wicket that all India both wanted and needed. Cook was playing his usual waiting game, aware as always that crease occupation equated eventually to runs.

He appeared to have moved his pad outside off stump when Sharma appealed for lbw. Umpire Kumar Dharmasena had already spared Jonathan Trott on similar grounds but now, to a nation’s delight, he raised his finger. A review of the decision would have reprieved Cook but the system is not being used in this series.

A period of rebuilding, of standing and staring, was necessary for England. Trott and Pietersen provided it and took England to lunch and beyond. Eking out runs on the surface was barely straightforward but their stall seemed to be set out for the day.

In a lapse of judgement, Trott then shouldered arms to Jadeja’s left-arm spin and saw the ball go straight on to clip his off stump. For his fourth innings of his five in the series so far, Ian Bell’s stay was all too brief. He looked ready to dig in and wait for the runs to come of their own accord. But his drive at Chawla went low to short extra cover and Bell’s shake of the head for most of his journey back to the pavilion told its own story.

The difficulties presented by the pitch were easily discerned because of the way Pietersen approaches his business. India cut off several run-scoring avenues by posting five men on the boundary but still he frequently found it difficult to formulate attacking shots.

There was the occasional vintage drive down the ground and the odd leg side whip but his innings took an untypical 188 balls. It was one of the latter strokes that ended his innings as he tried to exert his authority.

Another wicket then and England might have been in deep trouble. Root and Prior saw them through.

PICTURE PROTEST

We apologise to all cricket fans as we are unable to print live pictures from today’s play. This paper, along with other British media groups, is not publishing any live pictures from the Fourth Test in protest at the Indian cricket board’s refusal to grant access to certain major picture agencies which we view as a restriction on the freedom of the press.