FOUR TEST: Root’s assured century helps England recover

Joe Root returned to form when England needed him most with a masterful century on the first day of the fourth Test against India in Ranchi.

Short of runs and at the center of a debate around his approach to batting, Root played a classical Test inning to keep the tourists in the series.

On a breathless morning, England was reduced to 112-5 by some superb Indian bowling in highly testing conditions.

Akash Deep bowled with venom for three wickets on debut, and Ben Stokes was helpless to a delivery that Ravindra Jadeja got to scuttle along the ground.

But Root conquered the conditions, showing patience, determination, and supreme skill for his 106 not out.

He added 113 for the sixth wicket with Ben Foakes, who made a priceless 47, then another 57 with the recalled Ollie Robinson, who accompanied Root to three figures in his unbeaten 31.

When Root drove Deep for four, he reached his hundred from 219 deliveries, the slowest by any England batter since captain Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum took charge.

By the close, he had taken England to a very strong 302-7 as they looked to level the series at 2-2.

For England, it was a fantastic ending to a day that began with the news leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed had returned home because of an urgent family matter. (BBC)