England wrested control of the fourth Test on a docile morning in Ranchi, as seasoned campaigners Joe Root and Ollie Pope compiled fluent half-centuries to lead a dominant response to India’s first-innings total. With neither batsman offering a chance throughout the morning session on Day 3, England reached a commanding 332 for two at lunch, trailing India by just 26 runs and eyeing a significant lead.

Root, batting on 63 off 115 deliveries, and Pope, on a confident 71 off 123 balls, shared an unbroken 135-run stand that frustrated the Indian bowlers and gradually shifted momentum in England’s favour. The duo batted with assurance, punishing erratic lines and length from the Indian attack that failed to pose any real threat on a largely benign surface.

India, who had ended Day 2 with little to cheer after England closed in on 225 for two, continued to lack penetration on the third morning. Jasprit Bumrah, expected to lead the charge, was inconsistent and offered far too many loose deliveries. A full ball on Root’s pads early in the day was casually flicked to the boundary, and a few overs later, both Pope and Root capitalised on short balls, pulling them effortlessly for fours.