(MENAFN- IANS) Manchester, July 27 (IANS) Former wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik said it was fantastic to witness Shubman Gill and KL Rahul fight it out for the rest of the Indian team in the ongoing fourth Test against England at Old Trafford.

On day four, skipper Gill and senior opener Rahul led India's defiant fightback via smashing their respective fifties and sharing an unbroken 174-run partnership off 361 balls, as the visitors' reached 174/2 in 63 overs and trail England by 137 runs.

Rahul and Gill, unbeaten on 87 and 78 respectively, have given India and its fans a fighting chance of saving the match, something which looked improbable at one point after being reduced to 0/2 in first five balls of their second innings.

"There has been many a team that has travelled here and been 0-2, behind in the game, and just given up. What these two guys (Gill and Rahul) did is not just about this game, it is for the future as well.

"The determination, the courage they showed and the way they applied themselves through their partnership was a very heartening sign for Indian cricket in general. It was great to see them fight out it there for the rest of the team," said Karthik on Sky Sports' broadcast.

Gill and Rahul hold the key for India to dig in and hold on to a draw at Old Trafford. Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad said Gill's knock at Manchester is one of his best knocks in the series so far.

"Incredible from Gill, particularly coming into the series it being his first as Indian captain, one of the most pressurised positions in world cricket. To play like he has been absolutely superb.

"Yesterday was actually probably his most impressive innings, coming in 0-2 having been in the field - your brain switched on for 160-odd overs. To be able to calm it all down, survive that period pre-lunch, and then build that partnership with Rahul was wonderful. Yesterday was all mental, about as strong as you can be," he concluded.

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