England recover with Crawley-Duckett stand, Stokes five-for vs India

On day two of the fourth Test at Old Trafford, England staged a strong recovery against India, closing at 225 for 2 and trailing by 133 runs, largely thanks to a 166-run opening partnership between Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett. Both batsmen fell short of centuries, scoring 84 and 94 respectively, but their brisk innings laid a solid foundation for England's reply. India posted 358 in their first innings, bolstered by a gritty half-century from an injured Rishabh Pant, who returned to bat with a fractured foot and earned a standing ovation for his determination. England captain Ben Stokes claimed his first five-wicket haul in eight years, dismantling India's tail and playing a crucial role in restricting India to a modest total. Joe Root and Ollie Pope remained not out at stumps, keeping England well placed to potentially take the lead and secure the series with one Test to spare. The day highlighted excellent individual performances and set up an exciting finish to the closely fought series.