The first Test between India and England is heading towards an exciting finish. India needs 157 runs to win with nine wickets in hand on the final day. Virat Kohli’s men are favorites to win the match and go 1-0 up in the five-match Test series.
India started well, before losing in-form KL Rahul (26) late in the day. Cheteshawr Pujara and Rohit Sharma then ensured that no more damage was caused and ended day four at 52/1.
India’s star-studded middle order of Pujara, Kohli, and Rahane failed to make an impact in the first innings and will look to correct their mistakes to guide India to a victory.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes that team India might panic despite being the favorites if they lose early wickets.
“India is on top. They are the favorites, but you just never know. We have seen this England team before, we have seen this Indian team in English conditions, chasing down this kind of number and losing a few wickets and they start to panic," Michael Vaughan said on BBC’s Test Match Special podcast.
"You say the pitch has to deteriorate so much and it can. Sometimes it can happen. The clouds might roll in. The ball starts hooping around,” he added.
The former batsman said that Pujara looked out of form in the final few overs of the day and was surprised that he had survived. “How Pujara survived, I will never know. He didn’t look in any kind of rhythm or form,” Vaughan said.
Furthermore thanks to rains on the fifth day in Nottingham, Vaughan had a couple of tweets praising the overcast conditions helping out England bowlers and even said that rains might save the Indian team on day five.
