Pant retirement deals India blow as England edge back into fourth test contention

MANCHESTER, England :Rishabh Pant's retirement through injury slowed India's progress on day one of the fourth test against England, with the tourists closing on 264-4 in their first innings as they look to keep the thrilling five-match series alive.

With England eyeing victory at Old Trafford that would seal a series win with one match to spare, the hosts put India in to bat in overcast Manchester conditions, but the tourists cruised through to lunch untroubled on 78-0.

Three wickets in the afternoon session costing just 36 runs, including India skipper Shubman Gill, swung momentum back in England's favour before tea.

England spinner Liam Dawson picked up his first test wicket in eight years when he had opener Yashasvi Jaiswal caught for 58.

As he often does, the entertaining Pant upped the ante after tea by playing a number of flamboyant shots. However, all that came to an abrupt end when he retired hurt on 37, having taken a blow on the foot trying to reverse sweep Chris Woakes.

Sai Sudharsan's maiden test fifty, a patient knock which took 134 balls to achieve, had already taken India past 200 before he got a hook shot all wrong to fall for 61.

England could not make any further inroads to leave the test finely poised going into day two.