England ended day two of the fourth Test against India in a strong position at 225-2, after Ben Stokes ripped through the tourists' batting order to complete a five-wicket haul.

Stokes finished India's first innings with figures of 5-72, while Jofra Archer took 3-73, including the wicket of Rishabh Pant, who batted through a painful foot injury. 

Pant inadvertently struck the outside of his right boot while attempting an inside edge from Chris Woakes' delivery on day one and had to leave the field on the back of a golf cart.

Ahead of Thursday's play, reports emerged that Pant had fractured his foot, yet the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced he would return to bat while handing wicket-keeping duties to Dhruv Jurel.

Pant received a stirring reception as he hobbled out to resume on 37, following Stokes' dismissal of Shardul Thakur (41) – his third of the match.

He proved a thorn in the hosts' side even after Stokes claimed two more wickets in an over, having Washington Sundar (27) and Anshul Kamboj (0) caught to bring up his fifth five-for in Test cricket.

Pant brought up his half-century with a terrific four off Stokes' bowling, but his luck ran out in the following over as Archer's sublime delivery crashed into off stump. 

9 - @RishabhPant17 brought up his ninth score of 50+ runs in men's Tests in England (4 100s, 5 50s), the outright highest tally of such scores by any wicketkeeper in away games in any country, overtaking @msdhoni's record of 8 in England. Fearless.#ENGvIND #AndersonTendulkar pic.twitter.com/kDRhByQcQE

— OptaJeev (@OptaJeev) July 24, 2025

Archer then accounted for Jasprit Bumrah (four) to bring the India innings to a halt at 358 all out, before England openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley set about cutting into that deficit.

They put on a 166-run stand for the opening wicket, with England navigating 31 overs without loss before KL Rahul brilliantly got down to catch Crawley (84) at slip.

Duckett continued to add to England's score after being joined at the crease by Ollie Pope, but after drawing within a maximum of his seventh Test century, Duckett was removed for 94 by India debutant Kamboj.

But Pope (20 not out) and Joe Root (11 not out) managed to navigate a tense finale without further loss, with England reaching stumps 133 runs behind with eight wickets in hand.

A brilliant day for England! 

We trail by just  runs with  wickets in hand.

Roll on tomorrow  pic.twitter.com/6Sloskgfxa

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 24, 2025

Data Debrief: Heroics from Pant and Stokes define day two

Pant could barely descend the stairs at Old Trafford when reemerging to bat just before lunch, but he played through the pain barrier to bring up his ninth score of 50 runs or more in Tests in England (four 100s, five 50s). 

That is the outright most by any wicketkeeper in away Tests in any country, having previously shared the record with MS Dhoni (also eight in England).

Shortly before his wicket fell, Pant slammed an Archer delivery for six – his 90th maximum in Tests. He is now level with Virender Sehwag for the all-time record for India.

For England, there was another landmark for Stokes – the hero of their victory in the third Test at Lord's. 

He became the first England captain to take a five-wicket haul in Tests on home soil since Bob Willis at Headingley in 1983 (versus New Zealand). Stokes (51) is also the first player to take at least 50 wickets in home Tests as England captain.