Rahul, Pant's 50-runs partnership power India to 153/3 at lunch against England; leading by 159

Leeds [UK] June 23 (ANI): KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant stand tall after the early fall of Indian captain Shubman Gill in the 1st session as their fifty-plus partnership powered India to 153/3 at lunch on Day 4 in the first test against England at Headingley, Leeds on Monday.

At Lunch India is 153/3, leading by 158 with KL Rahul 72 and Rishabh Pant 31 unbeaten on the crease.

India started Day 4 on 90/2, with KL Rahul (47*) and skipper Shubman Gill (6*) unbeaten. Brydon Carse gave India an early blow as he removed Gill in the second over of Day 4 for eight runs.

Wicketkeeper/batter Rishabh Pant joined Rahul in the middle. India crossed the 100-run mark in the 29th over, and in the same over, Rahul completed his fifty after pushing the ball towards mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

At drinks break in the 1st session, India were 118-3 with KL Rahul 54(119) and Rishabh Pant 17 (30), leading by 124. Rahul got a life when he was dropped on 58 at slips by Harry Brook.

The duo of Pant and Rahul completed a 50-run stand for the fourth wicket in the 45th over, off 117 balls.

Earlier on Sunday, a very entertaining day of Test cricket, mostly dominated by England, came to an end with India taking a 96-run lead following the final session of the first Test at Leeds

At the end of the day's play, which was cut short due to rain, India ended with 90/2, with KL Rahul (47*) and skipper Shubman Gill (6*) unbeaten.

India kickstarted the final session at 0/0, having secured a six-run lead over England, who were bundled out for 465 runs in their first innings in reply to Team India's first innings total of 471 runs.

Brief Scores: England: 465 (Ollie Pope: 106, Harry Brook 99, Jasprit Bumrah 5/83) vs India: 471 and 153/3 (KL Rahul 72*, Rishabh Pant 31*, Brydon Carse 2/39). (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)