A Test of grit: Rishabh Pant and Ben Stokes steal the spotlight

Dubai: On a ground steeped in cricketing lore, it was courage — not just runs and wickets — that defined the fourth Test. Rishabh Pant and Ben Stokes turned Old Trafford into a stage for raw, unflinching bravery.

Pant, battling a painful foot injury, returned to the crease to score a gutsy half-century, while England skipper Stokes — fighting fatigue and his own physical limitations — bowled a 24-over spell of relentless pressure to claim his first five-wicket haul in eight years. Together, they elevated the Test into something more than just a contest — it became a tribute to resilience.

Stokes led England’s charge with 5-72 as India were bowled out for 358, while England made a swift response to race to 225 for 2 at the stumps on Day 2. Having already shouldered heavy workloads earlier in the series, the all-rounder once again put body on the line, delivering under overcast skies and on a surface that demanded every ounce of discipline. It was his first five-for in Test cricket since 2017, when he took 6-22 against West Indies at Lord’s.

His figures, however, only tell half the story. Stokes had gone against history by opting to bowl first — a decision that no team has ever turned into a win at Old Trafford. Yet with the series on the line and the urn-like Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at stake, he gambled boldly and backed it up with action.

Across the aisle, Pant’s effort was no less heroic. The wicketkeeper-batter had to retire hurt on 37 after being struck on the right foot by a searing yorker from Chris Woakes on Day 1. Diagnosed with a blow to the fifth metatarsal and ruled out of wicketkeeping duties, Pant was expected to sit out the rest of the match.

But when India lost their sixth wicket for 314, Pant, who had a near-death experience after highway car-crash, hobbled out to a standing ovation. Unable to run between the wickets, he relied on timing, placement, and sheer willpower — reaching his half-century in 69 balls, including a stunning pulled six off Jofra Archer. He eventually fell for 54, bowled by Archer, but the impact of his innings went well beyond numbers.

“Resilience is about playing through pain and rising above it,” tweeted Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar. “Rishabh showed tremendous character… A brave effort, and one that will be remembered for a long time.”

Wasim Jaffer echoed the sentiment, calling it a “very brave effort from the ultimate team man.”

The 26-year-old now has 479 runs in the series at an average of 68.42 — underlining his importance in the middle order and his continued evolution as a game-changer under pressure.

As England strengthen their position with a good opening partnership and India hope to claw back in a venue where they’ve never won a Test, the bigger takeaway from Manchester may lie not in the scoreboard, but in the spirit shown. In a match where everything was on the line, two men stood tall — not just as athletes, but as symbols of grit.