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Nagpur: A desperate India's push for a series-levelling win was met with a dogged resistance from England who rode on Jonathan Trott's gritty half-century to overcome a nervous phase as the fourth and final Test seemed headed for a draw on Sunday.
India batted for one hour in the morning before declaring their first innings at 326 for nine, four runs behind England, but could not make sufficient inroads as England reached 161 for three at close of an absorbing fourth day's play.
The hosts needed quick wickets but the fourth day track at the VCA stadium did not show any signs of deterioration as England batted out the day without seeming to be under any major discomfort.
Trott (66) and Ian Bell (24) were batting at stumps, with England having an overall lead of 165 runs.
With just one day let in the game, a draw appears to be the likely result though all four outcomes -- an Indian win, England win, tie and a draw -- can still be possible.
India will need to dismiss England as quickly as possible on Monday and score the required runs to entertain hopes of a series-levelling win. England will be quite content with a draw which would be enough to give them their first Test series triumph on Indian soil in 28 years. The David Gower-led England team had last won a series in 1984-85.
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni kept shuffling his bowlers in a bid to break through the England innings but the English batsmen applied themselves well to keep the hosts at bay, much to the disappointment of a seizable holiday crowd.
England were at a shaky 94 for three at one stage with captain Alastair Cook (13), Nick Compton (34) and Kevin Pietersen (6) back in the pavilion but Trott and Bell ensured that there were no further setbacks with a defiant 67-run partnership.
Trott was however a little lucky as a confident appeal for caught behind off Ishant Sharma was turned down by umpire Kumar Dharmasena, leading to some heated words being exchanged between Trott and Virat Kohli after the over.
Brief scores
England 330 (Root 73, Pietersen 73, Prior 57, Swann 56, Chawla 4-69, Sharma 3-49) and 161 for 3 (Trott 66*)
India 326 for 9 dec (Kohli 103, Dhoni 99, Anderson 4-81)
Status England lead by 165 runs
