India's batting defiance forces a draw, sets up a series-deciding fifth cricket test against England

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — A roller-coaster of a test cricket series between England and India is, fittingly, going down to the wire.

India salvaged an against-the-odds draw in the fourth test with a show of grit and sheer defiance at Old Trafford on Sunday, and kept alive its chances of tying the five-match series.

England leads the series 2-1 ahead of the fifth test starting Thursday at The Oval.

India was 425-4 in its second innings -- including centuries to Ravindra Jadeja (107 not out), Washington Sundar (101 not out) and skipper Shubman Gill (103) — and 114 runs ahead when an early stumps was called.

“This is no less than a win for us," Gill told the BBC. “Our batsmen put on a great display.”

The fourth test may not have matched the drama at Lord’s, where England won by 22 runs, but it was engrossing throughout five days in Manchester. India swung momentum after being at risk of being swept away.

By Sunday evening, India's collapse in the opening over of its second innings seemed an age away. Two wickets down without a run on the board at that point and 311 runs behind England's imposing first-innings of 669, the series seemed lost for India.

Not on Gill's watch. Not with a batting order of such quality that it has the top four scorers in the series.

Top of the lot is Gill, who hit his fourth century in as many matches to provide the platform for the recovery. He was supported by KL Rahul (90), and allrounders Jadeja and Sundar. Combined, they frustrated an England attack that simply ran out of ideas.

“This is the foundation of this team. These are characters who are sitting in this dressing room and wanting to fight for the country,” India coach Gautam Gambhir said.

How quickly things change.

When the wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan went in successive balls from Chris Woakes before lunch on Saturday, India was in crisis at 0-2.

In went captain Gill and his team hardly looked back. His partnership of 188 with Rahul held through the next two sessions and deep into Sunday morning.

The series-leading scorer reached 103 before his near seven-hour stand ended when caught by Jamie Smith off Joffra Archer's bowling.

“An important thing is that he’s living up to his expectation, his own talent, and more importantly is (that) he is the captain. As captain, he's got a burden of pressure," Gambhir said.

Gill has 722 runs for the series, well ahead of second-place Rahul's 511.

The dismissal of that formidable pair before lunch raised England victory hopes again, but there was more pain to follow with the double-century partnership of Jadeja and Sundar guiding India to a draw.

With India resuming the day on 174-2 and trailing by 137, England needed something special from Ben Stokes.

He didn’t take long to deliver but ultimately it wasn’t enough.

After fitness concerns ruled him out of bowling on Day 4 following his innings of 141, England’s captain was back with the ball and quickly claimed his 17th wicket of the series by trapping Rahul lbw.

It was a reminder of just how badly he was missed from England’s attack as Gill and Rahul batted so defiantly.

It was hardly surprising his absence was felt, given the 34-year-old Stokes is the lead wicket-taker in the series and took five in India’s first innings. His brilliant performance came after he underwent surgery in January following a second hamstring injury in five months and dubbed himself the bionic man.

“I've said it a few times to the guys out there, pain is just an emotion,” Stokes explained of his comeback.

The result might have been different if he had been fit for full involvement in India's second innings, but, frequently holding the back of his leg after each ball on Sunday, his effectiveness was limited.

He expects to be in the thick of the action again in the final test.

“I don’t want to eat my words, but the likelihood that I won’t play is very unlikely,” he said.

The outcome is too close to call heading to The Oval.

While England cannot be overtaken, the celebrations of India’s players after the drawn fourth test showed how determined they are to avoid a series defeat.

This series has already proved the tightest of contests, with England chasing down 371 at Headingley and then being dominated at Edgbaston, where India won by won by 336 runs.

England only narrowly won at Lord's and had victory seemingly in sight at Old Trafford. But India has provided another twist to a classic series.

James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

England's Jofra Archer celebrates the dismissal of India's captain Shubman Gill on the final day of the fourth cricket test match between England and India at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, England, July 27, 2025.(AP Photo/Jon Super)

England's captain Ben Stokes celebrates the dismissal of India's KL Rahul, left, on the final day of the fourth cricket test match between England and India at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, England, July 27, 2025.(AP Photo/Jon Super)

India's captain Shubman Gill celebrates after scoring a century on the final day of the fourth cricket test match between England and India at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, England, July 27, 2025.(AP Photo/Jon Super)

England's captain Ben Stokes celebrates the dismissal of India's KL Rahul on the final day of the fourth cricket test match between England and India at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, England, July 27, 2025.(AP Photo/Jon Super)

India's captain Shubman Gill celebrates after scoring a century on the final day of the fourth cricket test match between England and India at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, England, July 27, 2025.(AP Photo/Jon Super)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Police in Ohio's capital city said Wednesday that they have gathered enough evidence to link a man charged in the double homicide of his ex-wife and her husband in their Columbus home last month to the killings.

Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said in an Associated Press interview that authorities now believe Michael David McKee, 39, a vascular surgeon who was living in Chicago, was the person seen walking down a dark alley near Monique and Spencer Tepe's home in video footage from the night of the murders. His vehicle has also been identified traveling near the house, and a firearm found in his Illinois residence also traced to evidence at the scene, she said.

An attorney representing McKee could not be identified through court listings.

His arrest Saturday capped off nearly two weeks of speculation surrounding the mysterious killings that attracted national attention. No obvious signs of forced entry were found at the Tepes’ home. Police also said no weapon was found there, and murder-suicide was not suspected. Further, nothing was stolen, and the couple’s two young children and their dog were left unharmed in the home.

“What we can tell you is that we have evidence linking the vehicle that he was driving to the crime scene. We also have evidence of him coming and going in that particular vehicle,” Bryant told the AP. “What I can also share with you is that there were multiple firearms taken from the property of McKee, and one of those firearms did match preliminarily from a NIBIN (ballistic) hit back to this actual homicide.”

Bryant said that the department wants the public to keep the tips coming. Investigators were able to follow up on every phone call, email and private tip shared from the community to the department and some of that information allowed them to gather enough evidence to make an arrest, she said.

That work culminated in the apprehension of McKee in Rockford, Illinois, where the hospital where he worked — OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center — has said it is cooperating with the investigation. He has been charged with premeditated aggravated murder in the shooting deaths. Monique Tepe, who divorced McKee in 2017, was 39. Her husband, a dentist whose absence from work that morning prompted the first call to police, was 37.

McKee waived his right to an extradition hearing on Monday during an appearance in the 17th Judicial Circuit Court in Winnebago County, Illinois, where he remains in jail. Bryant said officials are working out details of his return to Ohio, with no exact arrival date set. His next hearing in Winnebago County is scheduled for Jan. 23.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said Wednesday that the city doesn't prioritize high-profile cases any more than others, noting that the city's closure rate on criminal cases exceeds the national average. The city also celebrated in 2025 its lowest level of homicides and violent crime since 2007, Ginther said.

“Every case matters. Ones that receive national attention, and those that don’t,” he told the AP. “Every family deserves closure and for folks to be held accountable, and the rest of the community deserves to be safe when dangerous people are taken off the street.”

Ginther said it is vital for central Ohioans to continue to grieve with the Tepes' family, which includes two young children, and loved ones, as they cope with “such an unimaginable loss.”

“I want our community to wrap our arms around this family and these children for years to come,” he said.

This undated booking photo provided by the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, shows Michael David McKee, who was charged in the killing of his ex-wife, Monique Tepe, and her husband Spencer Tepe at their Columbus, Ohio, home on Dec. 30, 2025. (Winnebago County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Spencer and Monique Tepe's home in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos)

This image taken from video shows Michael David McKee walking into the courtroom on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Rockford, Ill. (WIFR News/Pool Photo via AP)