3 things England need to do right to take control on Day 4 of ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test ft. Ben Stokes 

The first Test between India and England is on a knife's edge after the moving day lived up to its reputation. The eventful Day 3 in Leeds saw Ben Stokes and co. mounting a strong response to India's first innings score by posting 465, resulting in a difference of only six runs.

England had a strong start with the ball as well, getting Yashasvi Jaiswal to nick one early in the innings. The hosts were pegged back by a solid stand between Sai Sudharsan and KL Rahul, but managed to cap off the day with the wicket of the former.

At Stumps on Day 3, Team India were placed at 90-2 after 23.5 overs. England have to do a lot right to avoid the visiting batters running the show again, like they did in the first innings.

On that note, let us take a look at the three things England need to do right to take control on Day 4 of ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test.

#1 Ben Stokes must start off the day with the ball

With England's new-ball pairing being Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse, the latter has not had much of a chance to bowl in tandem with Ben Stokes, in what promises to be a solid partnership.

There will be a temptation to start off Day 4 with the same Woakes-Carse pairing, given the conditions will be much more helpful for them. However, this is also an opportunity to tap into Stokes' rhythm and ability as the best bowler on show so far, by starting off the day with him.

Considering that a crucial partnership between KL Rahul and Shubman Gill needs to be broken, coupled with the fact that the first hour of play is going to be crucial, England should consider giving the ball straightaway to Stokes to make an early inroad.

At the start of Day 2, England had trusted the pairing of Carse and Woakes with the new ball to break the partnership between Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill. Granted, they did not have the conditions in their favor, but the bowling pair hardly troubled the batting duo, and England cannot afford a similar encore just when the game is so delicately placed.

#2 Use the around-the-wicket angle for Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant is one name that threatens to take the game away from England completely should he make an impact like he did in the first innings. Ben Stokes and co. will have to climb a massive mountain if they don't find a way to counter the wicket-keeper batter.

The around-the-wicket angle has proven to be effective against the left-handed batters in this Test so far. Both Brydon Carse and Ben Stokes troubled Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan by getting the wobble seam ball to nip away after pitching, while Josh Tongue was able to dismiss Rishabh Pant in the first innings with that ploy.

The left-handed batter was even heard saying that the angle is troubling him as he keeps getting hit on the knee. England need to capitalise on this to make Rishabh Pant uncomfortable from the word go. All four English pacers are capable of making this tactic work, and with conditions expected to be in favor of them, especially in the first session, it comes across as a massive opportunity.

#3 Use Shoaib Bashir for control and not wickets

There will be a growing temptation to use the spinner as the match progresses, especially if the pitch dries out. However, the sun has not baked down on the pitch, with wind, moisture, and cloud cover taking its place instead. In such conditions, it is expected that the pacers will play the starring role.

However, even with England's four-pronged pace attack, rotations will be needed due to Stokes and Woakes coming from injury, and Carse also being injury-prone. All of these factors ensure that Bashir will not be outcast, and will have a role to play.

But the conditions, as mentioned earlier, are hardly ideal for a spinner to operate as far as wicket-taking is concerned. So far, barring a few deliveries that have gripped, and a minor rough on offer, there is not much to indicate that a spinner can operate fruitfully. Add to that, the Indian batters' ability against spin, England cannot really rely on Bashir to pull off a Jack Leach here.

Despite all of that, the fact of the matter is England will need Bashir to chip in with the overs. Even in the first innings, when there was hardly anything on offer, it was Bashir who bowled the most number of overs.

Judging by the situation and conditions, wickets would be a bonus for Bashir, and not the primary responsibility. His task would be to keep his end tight, bowl with accuracy, and make the batters work hard for their runs, while the pacers handle the wicket-taking front. He did a reasonable job of that in the first innings, bowling the most number of maidens in the match, but he has to be even tighter with his areas in the second innings.

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Edited by Gokul Nair