Rishabh Pant ton puts India in control of fourth Test against England

Wicketkeeper to the rescue as hosts earn valuable 89-run lead with three wickets in hand

India's Rishabh Pant celebrates scoring his century against England in the fourth Test in Ahmedabad on Friday, Match 5, 2021. Reuters

Rishabh Pant rescued India with a quickfire 101 in the Ahmedabad Test. Reuters

India's Rishabh Pant celebrates scoring a century at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. AP

India's Washington Sundar remained unbeaten on 60 at stumps on days two of the Ahmedabad Test. AFP

Rishabh Pant's century handed India a lead on day two. Reuters

Washington Sundar celebrate reaching his 50. Reuters

Rohit Sharma missed his fifty by one run. AFP

Veteran seamer James Anderson celebrates with Ben Foakes after taking the wicket of Rishabh Pant. Getty

England's Ben Stokes, right, celebrates the dismissal of India's captain Virat Kohli. AP

Ben Stokes bowled his heart out in testing conditions. AFP

Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant launched a spectacular late assault as his 101  put India in charge of the fourth and final Test against England in Ahmedabad on Friday.

Ben Stokes led England's lion-hearted bowling effort in the first two sessions but Pant's century-plus partnership with Washington Sundar tilted the game in favour of the hosts who finished day two on 294-7.

Sundar was batting on 60 at stumps and Axar Patel was on 11 with India 89 ahead after being 121-5 at one stage.

Having posted a below-par 205, England could not afford to let India get off to a flying start and their bowlers responded brilliantly after the hosts resumed the day on 24-1.

James Anderson bowled a tight line while Stokes, who battled an upset stomach on Thursday and still top-scored with 55, was hostile.

Left-arm spinner Jack Leach earned the breakthrough trapping the obdurate Cheteshwar Pujara lbw for 17.

Stokes bent his back to generate awkward bounce and one such delivery fetched him the prize wicket of Virat Kohli.

The India captain could merely nick the rising delivery behind to be dismissed for an eight-ball duck.

Rohit Sharma, who made 49, was smacked on his helmet by another such delivery from Stokes.

The all-rounder returned after the lunch break to deny Rohit his fifty and Leach sent back Ravichandran Ashwin to peg back India.

Pant began cautiously but accelerated later in the day, especially after England took the second new ball.

The left-hander nonchalantly reverse-swept Anderson to race into the 90s and slog-swept Joe Root for a six to bring up his third Test century.

The England duo combined to end his swashbuckling innings as he swatted an Anderson delivery to Root at short mid-wicket.

Pant's 118-ball blitz was studded with 13 boundaries and two sixes.

Sundar hit eight boundaries against a tired-looking England attack.