England v India: fourth Test, day four – live! | Sport

95th over: India 277-3 (Kohli 26, Jadeja 12) Jadeja, still shaky outside off, thick-edges Robinson for two and then plays and misses again, at one that jags away nicely. Nasser Hussain is studying England’s three slips with less than wholehearted approval. “They’re too close together – Overton [at third] has moved closer to Burns [in the doghouse] when that [Burns’s left] is his strong side.”

94th over: India 275-3 (Kohli 26, Jadeja 10) Jimmy Anderson’s first ball zips through outside Kohli’s off stump, to be taken by Jonny Bairstow next to the sponsor’s logo on his chest. The second is on target but tame and full enough to be clipped through midwicket for three. Joe Root has started warily with his fields, giving both bowlers five men saving one, three on the off side, two on the leg. Five men in the ring, tra-la-la-la.

Ravi Jadeja wafts at one outside off before taking a single. He has just collected his reward for being the world’s most effective No.7, which is to become the world’s most flattered No.5.

93rd over: India 271-3 (Kohli 23, Jadeja 9) The first over is bowled by Ollie Robinson, the only England player who had fun yesterday. He makes Kohli play the first ball of the day, landing it on off stump and drawing an edgy poke to square leg. A few balls later, Kohli plays the same shot with far more conviction and takes a single.

An email from my colleague Simon Burnton, who is at the ground. “On the Covid news,” he reports, “England say they have kept entirely separate from the India team and coaches except for their interactions on the field of play.” There’s something to be said for keeping your distance. “So the series should hopefully be played to a conclusion unless there are positive tests among the Indian players.”

And there are rumours of Covid at Edgbaston too. For all today’s championship news, do join Tanya Aldred as she takes off her Test hat and puts on her county one.

India’s coach, Ravi Shastri, has tested positive for Covid. He will go into isolation, Lawrence Booth of the Mail and Wisden reports on Twitter, as will three other members of the backroom staff “as a precaution”. The Indian players have all tested negative after taking two lateral-flow tests. All the best to Shastri for a speedy recovery.

Morning everyone and welcome to the fourth day of the Oval Test, which is now looking even more crucial than the third. India are already 171 runs ahead, with seven wickets left. If Virat Kohli and one or two others go big, they can bat England out of the series. But if the bowlers strike back, we could be in for the sort of finish that demands the presence of Ben Stokes and Jack Leach.

England did have a spell yesterday when they were right on top: the trouble was, it only lasted for one over. Ollie Robinson’s double breakthrough with the new ball was the sole burst of sunshine on a long day’s journey into bad light. Rohit Sharma was just too good, finally making his first overseas Test hundred at a time when his team really needed it. Cometh the hour, cometh the ton.

Play starts at 11am local time, light permitting, so do join us then to see whether Kohli’s will can prevail over Anderson and Robinson’s skill.