India’s hopes of levelling the series in the fourth Test at Old Trafford are quickly slipping away, thanks to a string of costly errors in the field and an underwhelming first-innings total. Historically, this venue hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the visitors, and that trend seems to be continuing with India now desperately chasing the game after England’s dominant reply.
India managed just 358 runs in their first innings, a total that looked below par on a good batting surface. What’s worrying is the recurring pattern—batsmen getting starts but failing to convert them into match-defining scores. In stark contrast, England’s batters showed discipline and determination, converting their starts into substantial knocks.
At the time of writing, England had cruised to 300/3, led by Joe Root and Ollie Pope, both looking untroubled at the crease. The Indian bowlers tried to claw back into the game, with debutant Anshul Kamboj returning for a second spell in hopes of a breakthrough. During one such passage, Pope and Root attempted a quick single, and Mohammed Siraj pounced on the ball with urgency.
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But instead of a measured throw, Siraj fired it wildly toward the keeper’s end. Dhruv Jurel couldn’t collect it cleanly, and the ball raced away to the boundary—four costly overthrows that summed up India’s frustration and lack of composure.
— Drizzyat12Kennyat8 (@45kennyat7PM) July 25, 2025
Dhruv Jurel dropped Ollie Pope at 48
Anshul Kamboj was the bowler ! pic.twitter.com/1GlNhjk9iZ
— Brevis (@BraveStorm17) July 25, 2025
That wasn’t the only moment of concern. In the 54th over, Siraj induced a mistimed shot from Root, with Jadeja diving at slip to stop the ball. Spotting a run-out opportunity, Jadeja fired a throw at the non-striker’s end, but missed. Joe Root, who had given up midway through his run, got a second life as Anshul Kamboj failed to back up the throw—another missed opportunity.
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Jurel, who had impressed at Lord’s, seems to be having a forgettable match behind the stumps in Manchester. He let through unnecessary byes, including one that ricocheted awkwardly after a bounce. But his most glaring error came just before lunch when Anshul Kamboj produced a beauty—an in-swinger that kissed Pope’s glove on its way to the keeper. Unfortunately, Jurel fumbled what should have been a regulation take. Pope, on 48 at the time, remained unbeaten on 70* at lunch.
Such lapses—missed run-outs, sloppy wicket-keeping, and ill-timed overthrows—are the kind that turn competitive matches into one-sided affairs. In a high-stakes Test series like this, India can hardly afford to let these moments slip.
