India v England: first Test, day four – live!

82nd over: India 293-6 (Sundar 57, Ashwin 20) India need 86 to avoid the follow-on. Ashwin rolls back the years and drives Anderson through extra-cover where is bobbles and bounces with joy to the boundary. Anderson looks as impressed as you’d imagine.

An email floats across the time zones from Mittu Hanumangarh in India. “Working from home with the telly on in the background. Just wanted to know what’s it like to watch test cricket on free to air television in the UK after such a long gap? Always get the impression that Cricket is only followed by the elites in the UK? Are OBO followers also elitist?”

I think I better leave them to answer that.

81st over: India 289-6 (Sundar 57, Ashwin 16) India need 90 to avoid the follow-on. Sundar drives Archer, like a princeling, straight back past his nose for four. Archer demands and gets, the new ball and immediately raps Sundar on the gloves.

“Twenty runs in less than three overs. It’s a fine line between rosy-cheeked and red-faced!” taps Andrew Crossley. Those of us prone to blushing, know this very well.

81st over: India 284-6 (Sundar 53, Ashwin 15) India need 94 to avoid the follow-on. The new ball is available, but Anderson doesn’t take it. A maiden with the old ball – the commentators fancy they’re checking to see if there is any reverse swing.

80th over: India 284-6 (Sundar 53, Ashwin 15) India need 94 to avoid the follow-on. The India team stand and applaud as Washington Sundar reaches his second fifty in only his second Test with some style off Leach.The boy got talent. England a bit uncomfortable in their clothes this morning.

“Can Dom Bess do it for all in Somerset? Banksy, PRSC, City and all hypocrites. I am not bitter.” says John Wild.

Oh John, not at this time of the morning. And to be fair to the fresh-faced woodman, he wasn’t getting in the Somerset team.

79th over: India 279-6 (Sundar 48, Ashwin 15) India need 99 to avoid the follow-on. Another short one from Bess, Sundar licks his lips and shovels him through the covers for four. The new ball is one over away.

78h over: India 274-6 (Sundar 43, Ashwin 15) India need 103 to avoid the follow-on. Ashwin returns to defensive mode against Leach., chugging along in the old car in the slow lane with nary a care.

“Good morning,” taps John Starbuck. “The cat’s still not adjusted to the idea of not having to wake anyone in order to get his breakfast delivered, but then they all hate changes to the routine. Jimmy also looks slightly miffed at seeing a spinner getting first go.”

77th over: India 273-6 (Sundar 41, Ashwin 9) India need 104 to avoid the follow-on. Bess sends down a fruity long-hop, which Sundar stylishly brushes past the bowler to the boundary boards. Ashwin goes one better: shimmy, belt, six.

76th over: India 262-6 (Sundar 37, Ashwin 9) And here he is, on the money straight away, an over with some threat.

75th over: India 262-6 (Sundar 37, Ashwin 7) An elegant back-foot drive gives Sundar the first boundary of the morning. Bess is non-plussed.

Andrew Crossley is gunning for Jack Leach, “Loved your preamble. Dom Bess as rosy-cheeked woodman is perfect. Here’s hoping that Everyman Leach can find his way back into the narrative scheme.” I hope so too. He’s a tough old nut, and Root rates him. He’ll be fine.

Despite my twinkle-toed descent of the stairs, the puppy has woken and is demanding my knee. Still at least I’ve been able to put the kettle on now. The players are in the middle and Dom Bess has the ball.

In Chennai, it’s hot. Mark Butcher thinks England will want to bat again to give the bowlers a rest

“It’s going to be tough” says SirAlastair, “but there’s enough in the surface to give those 14 chances.”

From my sofa to yours, hello!

There’s no point Brad McMillan going to bed, he’s been up with the Super Bowl, “I’m not really a ‘Tom Brady Fan’, but I still enjoyed him getting one over the young pretender to put a marker down that will likely never be reached again.
However, the thing I enjoyed more was the Bucs’ team performance, particularly the defence. Reminds me a little of Joe Root et al.”

I’ve got to admit, I went to bed – but here’s a pre-match read on Brady.

Good day to you! It’s Monday morning, its February, it’s pitch black but what better way to start the week than day four of this beautifully plotted Test. A game of consequences inside a comic book, inside a novella, inside a 19th century doorstop. The hero: Joe Root. The young blade Rishabh Pant. The King: Virat Kohli. The pretender: Ajinka Rahane. The rosy cheeked woodman: Dom Bess. The highly-skilled hunter: Jofra Archer. Enough, but you get the picture.

England start the day very much on top, with India needing 122 to avoid the follow on. Sundar and Ashwin showed adhesiveness last night but I’d bet on early morning wickets. From there, England will presumably bat again to grind India into the pink dust before trying to dismiss them once more on the crumbling blush pitch on the final day. Jack Leach may have got his Pant-destroyed confidence back by them.

Elsewhere, very sad news from the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand where 130 people are feared dead after a Himalayan glacier broke off and caused a surge of water down a river, swept away one dam and damaged another.

And West Indies are still celebrating after their stunning win against Bangladesh, thanks to an unbeaten double century from debutant Kyle Mayers.