Day 4 (Saturday, July 26) of the fourth Test between England and India at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, had it all. At lunch, it seemed like the hosts would wrap up the match by stumps. However, by the end of the day’s play, the visitors had staged a solid fightback, putting themselves in a position to potentially force a draw on the final day.The day began with England resuming their first innings at 544/7, leading by 186 runs, with Ben Stokes (77*) and Liam Dawson (21*) at the crease. Dawson couldn’t add much to his overnight score as Jasprit Bumrah removed him for 26 early in the session.Stokes then combined with Brydon Carse to add a crucial 95-run stand for the ninth wicket. Stokes brought up a superb century and finished with an impressive 141 off 198 balls, while Carse contributed a handy 47. England were eventually bowled out for 669, taking a commanding 311-run lead.India’s reply got off to a disastrous start. Chris Woakes struck in the very first over, removing both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan for ducks. The visitors were reeling at 1/2 after just three overs, with KL Rahul (1*) and Shubman Gill (0*) at the crease at lunch.Post-lunch, the duo showed resilience and slowly began rebuilding the innings. In the 25th over, England missed a golden opportunity when Liam Dawson dropped Shubman Gill on 46. The pair held their nerve and batted sensibly, taking India to 86/2 at tea, with Rahul on 30* and Gill on 52*.The final session saw even greater resilience from the pair. They added 88 runs in 34 overs, steadily frustrating the English bowlers and inching India closer to safety. At stumps, India reached 174/2 after 63 overs, trailing by 137 runs, with Rahul unbeaten on 87 and Gill on 78.Their unbeaten 174-run stand has not only kept India alive in the contest but also given them a realistic chance of securing a draw on Day 5. On that note, in this article, we take a look at the top five expert reactions to KL Rahul and Shubman Gill's gritty partnership on Day 4 of the 2025 ENG vs IND fourth Test.5 expert reactions to KL Rahul and Shubman Gill's unbeaten 174-run partnership on Day 4 of ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test#1 Cheteshwar PujaraIndia stalwart Cheteshwar Pujara hailed KL Rahul and Shubman Gill for the way they battled in the middle, especially after many felt the game would be over by the end of Day 4. Speaking on Sony Sports’ Extraaa Innings, he said:“India at lunch was in a position where everyone thought that the game might get over by tea time or by the end of the day's play today. But Shubman Gill and KL Rahul, the way they batted, the way they fought it out, and look at their shots, because it's not just that they batted, but they batted with some courage. They batted with some good cricketing shots.”The 37-year-old also lauded the duo for playing proper cricketing shots and keeping the scoreboard ticking. Pujara said:“They wanted the scoreboard to get moving. It's not just about playing for a draw, so you are not looking to score runs. They were looking to score runs, and by doing that, they were looking to play cricketing shots, which is very, very good. That's how you can manage a draw.”“Sometimes people say that if you are looking for a draw, you just try and block and don't take any risks. But you still need to play cricketing shots, which is very important and which also puts bowlers under pressure. If you want the opposition to be under pressure, you need to keep that scoreboard moving, and that's what they have done today. You don't need to take risks, but you do need to play cricketing shots to get the scoreboard moving, and they have done really, really well in this innings,” he continued.#2 Ravichandran AshwinLegendary spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also lauded the Indian duo for their performance on Day 4, adding that securing a draw would be a phenomenal achievement for the visitors. Speaking in a video shared on his YouTube channel @ashkibaat99, the 38-year-old said:“Hats off to the way Rahul and Gill batted. If India goes on to draw this game, it is bigger than a win. Because you are way behind in the game. But after this if you can draw the game, it is a phenomenal achievement. In this Test, England has won more sessions than India, but there is a chance India could draw it and win the match that way. There is a huge chance they will be absolutely happy and all about thinking about the fifth Test.”#3 Ashish NehraGujarat Titans (GT) head coach and former India pacer Ashish Nehra hailed KL Rahul and Shubman Gill for the intent and positivity they showed at the crease. He noted that both batters stuck to their natural game while speaking on Extraaa Innings:“The way both batters handled the situation after that was truly commendable. Shubman Gill played some elegant drives, a few quality cuts, even an upper cut. Whenever he got the opportunity, he made full use of it. They played with intent and positivity. Whenever there was a loose ball, they capitalised on it. That was great to see. As we discussed, both batters have their own game, and they don’t need to adopt a mindset that doesn’t suit them,” Nehra said.“Yes, KL Rahul took his time, but it's also possible that now, after facing two or three more overs, he might go on to score 30 runs off the next 30 balls, because he is well set. The same goes for Shubman Gill. He is well set too, and the way he left bad deliveries and survived even after getting beaten or edging the ball, shows great maturity. Coming through all of that isn’t easy, and it truly deserves praise,” he added.#4 Ravi ShastriFormer India head coach Ravi Shastri praised Shubman Gill and KL Rahul for standing firm during the final two sessions on Day 4, and noted that the batting conditions are still favourable. Speaking on Sky Sports, Shastri said:“Great character shown, and they have done it before. So, it’s not the first time that you saw what they did after Leeds. Batting condition still good. I still feel this is a new ball pitch. Once the ball gets a little older, things don’t happen that quickly anymore because it’s a fourth-day track. It’s a lot slower. Even if there’s uneven bounce, it’s not as quick, either taking off or shooting through the deck. And once you’re in, it’s not easy to get you out.”#5 Stuart BroadFormer England pacer-turned-broadcaster Stuart Broad praised the Indian duo of KL Rahul and Shubman Gill for showing tremendous fight when many believed the match would end on Day 4. Speaking on Sky Sports, Broad said:“We thought at Lunch time that this could finish today. Now we are in a situation where this could be a draw and India then would be in a decent position going into the Oval. The fact that England would have fielded for 160-odd overs with three days rest before they go again. So, it's been a huge last two sessions for India in the context of the series.”“Yes, they are not going to win this Test match. But they can go to the Oval, win that and stay in the series and that'll be 2-2. So, it's been a great fightback from Gill and Rahul, particularly with England's mindset of knowing if we get one of these out , you're into the all-rounders already. England will put all their eggs in the new-ball basket. After an hour of play tomorrow, they'll have the second new ball. India have done amazingly to get into a situation where there are two results on the table still,” he added.KL Rahul and Shubman Gill will look to bat deep on Day 5, as the visitors aim to salvage a draw heading into the fifth Test.