Sanjay Manjrekar picks the big moment of Day 2 in 4th ENG vs IND 2025 Test

Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar believes Ravindra Jadeja’s early dismissal on the second day’s play was a big moment on the second day of the fourth Test between England and India at Old Trafford. Jadeja could only add one run to his overnight score of 19 before he was caught brilliantly by Harry Brook in the slip on the bowling of Jofra Archer.

The left-hander had scored four consecutive fifties against England but this time he could not convert his start into a substantial score. 

Manjrekar reckons things could have been slightly different if Jadeja had batted longer on the second day.

“A lot of the damage was done before [Pant walked out to bat]. India got the tougher conditions to bat in. The big moment was Jadeja getting out early with the second new ball. It’s a very difficult technique to breach as we have found out.”

“Had he stayed longer, then he would have had a bit of Shardul Thakur, Rishabh Pant and Washi [Washington Sundar] and things would have been slightly different,” Sanjay Manjrekar said on ESPN Cricinfo.

Manjrekar feels India could have batted better but also admitted that the visitors got tricky batting conditions as compared to England.

“The way the pitch has panned out and the way England’s batters have batted, I guess you could say India could have batted better. But, India were just batting in different bowling conditions.”

England ended the day’s play at 225-2 and Manjrekar feels the home team would get a big score.

“I see them getting a huge score. There is every sign for that to happen. Test cricket these days is difficult to predict, but it looks like India will have to look at a big lead going into the second innings,” Manjrekar added.

India would want to take quick wickets on the third day’s play.