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Match Report:

Scorecard

Stokes heroics not enough as Pant pummels England

India's dynamic wicketkeeper-batter scores a game-changing century to put the hosts in command of the fourth Test

Ben Stokes put in a Herculean shift in the heat of Ahmedabad but Rishabh Pant's remarkable century and the folly of England's imbalanced attack left India in full control after day two of the fourth Test.

There were shades of Pant's recent brilliant innings in Sydney and Brisbane as the diminutive wicketkeeper-batsman built to a brilliant 101, changing the complexion of the game as he struck 13 boundaries and two sixes to help put India 89 ahead at stumps on 7-294.

At tea it looked as though the unrelenting Stokes might have made the defining contribution, defying illness, stiffness and a muddled team selection to drag India back to 5-144 in response to his side's modest 205 all out.

Flogging himself for 20 overs in near 40 degree heat he bounced out home captain Virat Kohli for a duck and removed in-form opener Rohit Sharma with a booming inswinger, holding down the fort for long, exhausting spells as the likes of Stuart Broad, Mark Wood and Olly Stone watched on from the sidelines.

But England had gambled on just three specialist bowlers, including one - Dom Bess - who turned up visibly shorn of confidence and unable to exert any control.

It was a costly decision, with Pant seizing the opportunity to cash in against an attack that was spreading itself painfully thin.

After taking the time to set himself carefully on the surface, he got his side to parity and then cut loose in the evening with an array of increasingly jaw-dropping shots.

In all likelihood it will go down as a match-winning innings, with his late assault on James Anderson - featuring a charge down the ground to his first delivery with the new ball and an impudent reverse paddle - destined to linger long in the memory.

With Washington Sundar making 60 not out, India took 141 from a chastening final session.

Things had been so different at the start of play, Anderson and Stokes locking down the scoreboard as England allowed just 16 runs in the first hour. Jack Leach applied the finishing touch to their work, going wicket-to-wicket at Cheteshwar Pujara, who played behind his front pad and fell lbw for 17.

Stokes, a peripheral presence with the ball in the first three Tests, had been moving through the gears after a change of ends and kicked up another notch when Kohli strode to the crease.

He hammered a short ball into the surface as it reared up and grazed the edge of an awkward defensive fend.

Anderson outclassed Ajinkya Rahane in the last over of the morning to leave the score 4-80, but England waited another hour for the first success of the afternoon.

Bess was offered a seven-over spell but served up too many full-tosses and drag downs and he finished wicketless for 56.

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Stokes rejoined the fray and took just six balls to end Rohit's handy innings of 49. 

His aggression helped England grab another before tea, unnerving Ravichandran Ashwin with blows on the glove and shoulder before Leach had him softly caught at short mid-wicket.

But England lost their way entirely in the final session, unable to shut down Pant, who had measured his run astutely.

Sundar was unbeaten on 60 at stumps and Axar Patel was on 11.