• Source:JND
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IND vs ENG 5th Test: England's star batter Harry Brook took advantage of the lifeline he got and brought up his first fourth-innings hundred on the fourth day. Brook, who is currently the World's No.1 Test bowler, scored a century off just 91 balls and set the basis for the hosts' mammoth run-chase of 374 runs against India during the fifth Test of the ongoing series.

This was Brook's 10th Test ton after playing in 50 innings. With this, he has climbed to the second position in the list of batters who have smashed the most centuries in this format after 2022 and is just behind Joe Root.

He got a lifeline when he scored 19 runs. The Shubman Gill-led side could have taken three wickets during the first session since Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna had already taken the wickets of Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope. The host might have been reeling at 137/4, but Siraj couldn't maintain his body balance when he took the catch while standing at deep fine leg.

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Brook, who mistimed a bouncer in Prasidh Krishna's over, had smashed the ball directly towards Siraj's hand. Although Siraj did take the catch, he lost his balance and touched the boundary rope, and thus gave Brook a lifeline.

With the help of this reprieve, Brook changed his batting approach and brought up his brilliant century. He began batting aggressively as he had scored 18 runs in Siraj's over, if Siraj hadn't dropped his catch, and should have stayed aggressive throughout.

Brook also got assistance from the World No.2 Test batter Joe Root, and the duo together dented India's chances of leveling this series.

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Brook and Root took equal risk and took the Indian bowlers to the cleaners during the second session.

Brook did get out after scoring 111 runs off 90 balls just before tea. Mohammed Siraj took his catch while standing at mid-off.

But he had already done the damage by reducing the team's deficit to less than 100 runs and building a brilliant partnership of 195 runs with Joe Root for the fourth wicket.