As it happened - England vs India, 5th Test, Edgbaston, 4th day

A superb day for England comes to an end with the score at 259 for 3, leaving them 119 to get with seven wickets in hand. Joe Root walks back unbeaten on 76 off 110, Jonny Bairstow 73 off 89. We leave you with a teaser from our end-of-the-day report.

"England’s dream run in fourth-innings chases this summer continued as they got to 259 for 3 in pursuit of 378, a record chase for them if it comes off. Alex Lees and Zak Crawley put together their quickest hundred-run opening stand in Test cricket before Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow repaired a collapse of three wickets for two runs. However, to have that half chance at the target England needed the bowlers to do their job, which they did by taking India’s seven standing wickets for an addition of 120 runs to the overnight lead of 257 runs.

When England bowled in the first half of the way, they extracted uneven bounce from the pitch, and Jack leach found enough assistance to have an analysis of 11-1-23-1, the wicket being the dangerous Rishabh Pant, who became the first India wicketkeeper to score a hundred and a fifty in an overseas Test. The ball didn’t do much for India at the start; when they got the ball changed in the 21st over, it brought them three wickets. Root and Bairstow had to be watchful against the reversing ball for a bit, but they still managed to add 151 unbeaten runs at 4.56 an over."

He has been dropped twice, but Jonny Bairstow has otherwise looked serene in getting to 51 off 75 balls. In this innings, with the field spread for him, Bairstow has hardly hit in the air, relying instead on singles, with his timing often helping him beat deep fielders. The biggest improvement from the last year has been his defence against the straight or the incoming ball. England 236 for 3 in 53 overs with 17 minutes left to stumps.

And they get there with a second reprieve for Jonny Bairstow. It is a half chance but it still counts. He looks to flick a full ball down the leg side, but gets only a faint tickle, Rishabh Pant dives full length to his left, and gets there, but this is a low offering and it doesn't stick. England 211 for 3 in 48 overs.

Joe Root brings up yet another Test fifty with a bunt into the covers off Shardul Thakur. He has got there in 71 balls, and apart from odd reverse-sweep he has just batted in normal Test fashion. England are 197 for 3, more than halfway through.

The ball is part of the conditions. The first ball didn't do much for India, and the changed ball started to move. The change came at 20.5, by which time England reached 106 for 0. The next 19.1 overs have produced just 68 runs for three wickets. Now the intent has been just as positive, but the movement has kept England more honest than the old ball did. Another elegant measure of that is control numbers: in the first 20.5 overs, India drew 20 errors from the batters, and 28 in the next 19.1 overs. England 174 for 3 in 40 overs.

The ball is reversing, and it has Jonny Bairstow fumbling for it, especially when the bowlers switch the shiny side outside. Mohammed Shami beat him once, and Mohammed Siraj produced the edge with the outswinger in his first over back, but the healthy edge bursts through Hanuma Vihari's hands at second slip. There is a bit of late swerve, but you expect this to be taken as the despondent reaction of his team-mates suggests. England 157 for 38 overs.

Ravindra Jadeja has been bowling over the wicket to right-hand batters, which is generally considered a negative ploy, but his numbers tell a different story. He has taken 21 wickets at 24.85 and a run-rate of 2.63, which is not much worse than his round-the-wicket numbers: average of 24.31 and 2.29 per over. The strike-rate isn't much worse either: a wicket every 43 balls over the wicket as against a wicket every 38 balls round the wicket. England 127 for 3.

Just like that, India are on top all over again. India introduce Ravindra Jadeja to share the ball with Jasprit Bumrah post tea. Alex Lees has been proactive against Jadeja so far, attacking him first ball, but this time he is watchful and the ball turns in sharply from the rough, takes an inside edge, and Lees is caught ball-watching while Joe Root charges towards him for a single. Lees is too late to start, and is run out comfortably at the non-striker's end. It is Lees' mistake that he didn't trust his partner and set off immediately, but it is also confounding that batters risk a wicket for a chancy single in Test cricket. Or any cricket.

This is why India were looking desperately to get the ball changed. The old ball swung 0.4 degree on an average, this one has swung 1 degree. All of a sudden two wickets have fallen, and now India, who had gone quiet, are cheering after every ball. Virat Kohli is ending up almost by the wicket almost every ball. This is gripping stuff, a period of play India want to cash in on, a period of play that England want to get out of with as little damage as possible.

With the first ball after the tea break, the India captain has Ollie Pope for a duck. It is dug in short of a length, easy to leave on length, but Pope feels for it, expecting it to come in, but it holds its line to take the edge through. England have now lost two wickets on the same score. They are 107 for 2.

A long chat between Alex Lees and Virat Kohli as they walk off for tea, and it doesn't look like a particularly matey one. India have pulled one back just before the interval but overall it is a dream session for England: three wickets for just 16 runs followed by a rollicking opening stand that has left them at 107 for 1. A deflated India have come back to life with Jasprit Bumrah taking one wicket just before the interval. A spicy finish to the day awaits.

This will be some relief for India. The ball is changed at 20.5 overs, Jasprit Bumrah brings himself on for the 22nd over, and Zak Crawley leaves one alone outside off only for it to swing in and hit the top of off. The stand ends at 107 for 1 at 4.93 an over, the second-fastest 100-or-more opening stand for England.

In 19.5 overs, Alex Lees and Zak Crawley have brought up a hundred for the opening stand. As it stands right now, it is the fastest opening stand of 100 or more for England. Again the other stands are recorded at where they ended so not a fair comparison right now.

Rahul Dravid, India coach, is seen having a chat with David Boon, the match referee. I am not a lip reader so I am just hazarding a guess: Dravid seems to be seeking some clarification about something, probably about the ball not getting changed. It looks quite amicable and ends with Boon tapping Dravid on the shoulder, and Dravid looking satisfied with the explanation. But this is just a guess. And while that happens, Zak Crawley drives Shardul Thakur through extra cover for four. England 80 for 0 in 16.2.

Edgbaston stands up tp applaud as Alex Lees punches Mohammed Siraj through cover-point to reach 51 off 44, only his second Test fifty in seven Tests. England 74 for 0 in 15.5 overs. Now India are asking for a ball change.

Zak Crawley plays a reverse-sweep from outside leg against Ravindra Jadeja, bowling from over the wicket, and the ball hits the boot to lob up for a catch at short leg. Clearly this needs replays to confirm whether the ball hit the boot on the full or on the bounce, but the soft signal is out, which gives England a reminder of what happened with Matt Potts' wicket on day three. And the replays are really close, which might put pressure on the third umpire to stay with the soft signal, but there is also a puff of dust which makes clear the ball has bounced before hitting his boot. Crawley bats on. England 70 for 0 in 15 overs, Alex Lees 47 off 30, Crawley 22 off 52.

Alex Lees has biffed Ravindra Jadeja for a four first ball, and then reverse-swept him last ball to bring up a half-century for the stand. Of all the 50-or-more opening stands for England, this, at the moment, is the fourth-quickest. Remember the figures for other partnerships are only for the end of their stands so not a fair comparison.

Forty-three runs conceded in eight overs, India's first bowling change is Ravindra Jadeja, who has a nice bit of rough outside Alex Lees' off stump. We have seen the ball turn for Jack Leach.

Alex Lees has successfully charged at Mohammed Shami, Zak Crawley has been more judicious outside off, they have taken runs at five an over in the first seven, and India now have a sweeper on the leg side. It is a long long way to go but they have made a good start. England 35 for 0.

Jasprit Bumrah hooks Ben Stokes for a six, his fourth of this series, only one behind the leader Rishabh Pant, and then tries another but ends up holing out. India have set England a target of 378 in a possible 156 overs, an asking rate of just 2.42. They might not even need the newest term doing the rounds these days.

Jokes aside, if England do manage a shock win here, it will be their highest-successful chase in Tests. On a pitch with uneven bounce and turn against this Indian attack, it looks difficult.

Ben Stokes' current spell of 3.2-0-4-2 is keeping India just within their reach. Only just, mind you. He has now got Ravindra Jadeja with what looks like revere-swing to me because in the only replay I got, the ball moved in, towards the shiny side, and took the inside edge onto the wicket. The new ball is available at the end of this over with India's last pair at the wicket. India lead by 368.

The umpire didn't think it straightened, the wicketkeeper didn't think it straightened, the bowler was not very convinced either, and Ben Stokes, the captain, failed to review with eight wickets down and three reviews in hand. The bowler was Jack Leach, the batter Jasprit Bumrah. The ball was full, on leg, and the replay showed it straightened just enough to be hitting leg. India 235 for 8 with two overs to the new ball, could have easily been nine down. Ravindra Jadeja is farming strike, looking for runs only on the last three balls of the over. The lead is 367. Is it a matter of batting for longer to let the pitch wear out more? Because otherwise you'd expect them to be more urgent with the new ball around.

In the first over after lunch, Ben Stokes has Mohammed Shami caught at deep backward square leg, who is not all the way to the fence. India 230 for 8, a lead of 362. England staying in this, just about.

England have managed to pick up four wickets in the session to leave India at 229 for 7, which is a lead of 361. There has been uneven bounce for the fast bowlers and appreciable turn for Jack Leach. India will fancy themselves at lunch on day four.

A barrage of short balls, aided by uneven bounce, peppered Thakur before he top-edged a hook to be caught at fine leg for 4 off 26. India lead by 339 with Ravindra Jadeja now batting with the tail. With turn and uneven bounce on offer, India have a more than formidable lead already.

That's the cue to sharpen the "shot-selection" blades. The ball is turning from the rough for Jack Leach so he tries to play a reverse-sweep to try to put him off his lengths. However, he ends up playing it too fine and straight to slip. He is the only India wicketkeeper to have scored a century and a fifty in the same Test away from home. He walks off with 57 off 86. India 198 for 6, a lead 330.

The first hour ends with Shreyas Iyer falling to a short ball once again. Caught at square midwicket. Takes the ball on, tries to keep it down, but it is a long way down from head high. Rishabh Pant at the other end, though, has brought up his fifty. He has been severe on the bad ball but he has also tried a reverse sweep against Stuart Broad. India n190 for 5, a lead of 322.

England made an apparently resigned start to the day, opening with James Anderson and Joe Root. Anderson's lack of pace becomes apparent with the old ball, and Root was unable to bother the overnight batters. Then came on Stuart Broad, and bowled a wide long hop in his first over. Cheteshwar Pujara loves that ball, loves the cut, but on this occasion he failed to keep it down and was caught at backward point for yet another important innings that didn't translate into a hundred. Gone for 66 off 168. India 154 for 4, a lead of 286, at the end of 53 overs. There are 27 more overs before the new ball becomes available.