The China Mail - India captain Gill run out in sight of Gavaskar record

The tourists were 85-3 when rain stopped play for a second time at the Oval after being sent in to bat in a match India must win to square the series at 2-2.

Gill, who has already scored four hundreds in a prolific debut campaign as captain, came in with India struggling on 38-2.

At that stage, he needed just 53 more runs to overhaul Gavaskar's mark for the most runs scored by an India batsman in a Test series of 774 -- set by the "Little Master" against the West Indies in 1971.

The 25-year-old Gill struck several elegant trademark drives and rarely looked in trouble, despite the overcast, bowler-friendly conditions that favoured England's quicks.

But on 21 he pushed the ball into the offside and set off for a single that was never on, with fast bowler Gus Atkinson, following through, throwing down the stumps at the striker's end.

Gill, halfway down the pitch, slipped as he tried to turn back to safety.

The skipper could yet break Gavaskar's record should India have a second innings.

Sai Sudharsan was 28 not out when the rain came again, with Josh Tongue and Jamie Overton -- two of England's three recalled quicks along with Atkinson -- too often wayward.

Earlier, England took two wickets after Ollie Pope, leading the hosts in place of injured captain Ben Stokes, won the toss on his Surrey home ground.

It was not long before Atkinson, a Surrey team-mate of Pope and one of four changes to the England team following last week's drawn third Test at Old Trafford, had opener Yashasvi Jaiswal lbw for two on review.

Veteran seamer Chris Woakes then had opener KL Rahul, who has scored more than 500 runs the series, playing on for 14 trying to cut a ball that was too close to him.

A schedule of five Tests in less than seven weeks has taken its toll, with both England and India making four changes to their teams at the Oval.

India left out paceman Jasprit Bumrah, who hurt his back earlier this year.

Team bosses had previously announced the world's top-ranked Test bowler would only feature in three games during the current series -- a figure he reached in Manchester.

V.Fan--ThChM