England are still on top in the fourth Test against India at Emirates Old Trafford, though had to contend with a stubborn rearguard from visiting captain Shubman Gill and KL Rahul on day four.

With England eyeing a series-clinching win, a first Ben Stokes (141) hundred for two years – helping secure a 311-run first-innings lead – and two wickets in two balls for Chris Woakes (2-48) in the first over of India’s reply, seemingly had the hosts on course for victory with a day to spare.

But Gill (78no) and Rahul (87no) had other ideas, sharing in a steely, unbroken 174-run third-wicket partnership across the final two sessions through to stumps, India closing on 174-2, still 137 in arrears.

With question marks remaining over whether the injured Rishabh Pant will bat, England will still back themselves to get the job done on the final day, albeit spells of anticipated wet weather could also aid India’s cause in hanging on for a draw and taking the series to the fifth Test at The Kia Oval.

Also of concern to England will be the fact that Stokes didn’t bowl on day four, having earlier hit a first Test century since the 2023 Ashes at Lord’s. The England captain had briefly left the field retired hurt with cramp on the third evening and still appears to be troubled by some sort of issue.

Stokes was a touch jittery with the bat to start the fourth morning, only just surviving a run-out chance fourth ball and fortunate that a few tentative, nervy probs in the 90s never got him into too much trouble.

Liam Dawson (26) departed to a wicked Jasprit Bumrah (2-112) delivery that kept low and knocked back his off stump, but Stokes received further support from Brydon Carse (47) at No 10 in England’s deep batting lineup.

The pair put on 95 for the ninth wicket as Stokes did finally notch his 14th Test ton with a nudged four fine off Mohammed Siraj, pure relief etched across his face as, in the process, he became just the fourth England player to score a century and take a five-for in the same Test after Tony Greig, Ian Botham and Gus Atkinson.

Milestone achieved, and the 600 up soon after, it signalled the onslaught, with both Stokes and Carse launching India’s spinners into the stands on more than one occasion as England posted the highest ever total at Old Trafford by the time the pair perished in the deep to end the innings.

It left India a testing 15-minute spell to negotiate prior to lunch but, even in England’s wildest dreams, they wouldn’t have anticipated reducing the visitors to 0-2 after only five balls, Woakes on a hat-trick.

The England seamer saw off Yashasvi Jaiswal to a beauty that shaped away a touch and brushed the edge through to a juggled Joe Root grab at slip, while a scrambled Sai Sudharsan after three days in the field quickly came and went, caught in two minds whether to play or leave as he nicked to second slip.

Gill just about saw off the hat-trick delivery, despite ambitious England appeals for lbw – the ball sliding down leg – and continued to dig in and blunt England’s best efforts over the final two sessions.

Jofra Archer was very unlucky not to take a wicket in a probing four-over spell either side of lunch, Gill surviving another couple of close lbw shouts – England losing a review to one which couldn’t conclusively rule that ball had struck pad and not bat first.

England would later lose a second of their three reviews on a far weaker Carse lbw shout against the Indian skipper, who was also dropped when on 46 by Liam Dawson at backward point off Carse’s bowling.

Gill would make the most of the reprieve, moving through to an eighth Test fifty and taking his tally for the series to 697, while Rahul notched his 19th half century in Tests soon after and ultimately overtook his captain’s score by stumps.

How concerning that Stokes hasn’t bowled?

Sky Sports Cricket’s Nasser Hussain:

“We all know Stokes and if it is just cramp and he is feeling a bit sore and stiff, he will have a bowl to see how it is.

“But the fact he has felt the top of his hamstring, where he has had problems before, it is absolutely the right thing for him not to bowl.

“You could even debate whether he should even be on the field. The problem for England is that he has to play every single game because he is captain and can’t be rested.

[On England’s final day hopes]: “At 0-2, there was probably very little chance of Pant coming out to bat, but if India get close and ahead then he will be hobbling down the steps.

“He is an absolute streetfighter and will try to survive, so England will need eight wickets not seven and this pitch is not wearing that much.

“England have got a lot of work to do – but there is still plenty of time.

“You have to work hard for Test victories and you are playing against India, who are still in this series and are not going to roll over. Indian batters love batting and will not give you their wicket.”

Shastri hails ‘fluent’ Gill and Rahul

Former Indian all-rounder and head coach, Ravi Shastri:

“They [Gill and Rahul] had to play the way they did.

“If they had gone into a shell and blocked everything, that was trouble, so they had to find some fluency and get their feet moving.

“The shot selection was good. They played straight and cut off the high-risk shots and took it one ball at a time. Communication was also good.”

[On Stokes not bowling]: “I think Stokes is preserving himself. There will be one burst tomorrow when needed, when he thinks now is the time for five or six overs.”

Watch the fifth and final day of the fourth Test between England and India at Old Trafford, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10.15am, Sunday (11am first ball), or stream without a contract.

England vs India – results and schedule

All games at 11am UK and Ireland; all on Sky Sports