India vs England: Root and Pope put hosts in the driver's seat

The duo added 107 runs in the morning session to reduce India's first-innings lead to 26 runs. Root also became the third highest run-getter in Test cricket.

Joe Root became the third-highest run-scorer in Test history as England reached 332 for two against India at lunch on day three of the fourth cricket Test at Old Trafford on Friday.

Resuming at their overnight score of 225 for two, Root and Ollie Pope added 107 runs in the morning session to reduce India's first-innings lead to 26 runs.

Pope scored his fifty from 93 balls, while Root took 99 deliveries to get to his his half-century.

Root (63 batting off 115 balls) and Pope (70 not out off 123) have so far stitched together an unbeaten 135-run stand that is threatening to take the game away from India.

Openers Ben Duckett (94) and Zak Crawley (84) had notched up half centuries on Thursday after England bowled India out for 358.

After a forgettable evening session on day two, the Indian bowling attack once again failed to make inroads into the England batting.

Besides an odd ball keeping low from the James Anderson end and another jumping from the opposite side, Jasprit Bumrah and Co did not trouble Root and Pope.

Earlier, Root started the day needing 30 more runs to surpass India's Rahul Dravid (13,288 runs in 164 Tests) and 31 to overtake South Africa's Jacques Kallis (13,289 in 166 Tests), both of whom are retired.

The 34-year-old appearing in his 157th Test, went past Kallis with a single off Mohammed Siraj.

Next in Root's sights is retired Australian great Ricky Ponting, who made 13,378 runs in 168 matches.

India's Sachin Tendulkar is the top run getter with 15,921 runs from 200 Tests.

England are 2-1 up in the five-match series for Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, with the final Test starting at the Oval starting on July 31.

(With inputs from Agencies)