England must pull off their highest Lord’s run chase if they are to record a first victory in 10 Tests and go 1-0 up in the series against India.

Things did not get off to a good start when they found themselves 12-1, Sam Robson given out for lbw. 

Robson was unhappy with the call but replays showed it was the correct decision.

England went into tea at 18-1 but after the break, just when they looked like easing their way into the chase, India knocked them back down with Gary Ballance being caught out at 70-2.

Things went from bad to worse when Ian Bell was bowled for one, the scorecard at 71-3, and just as Alastair Cook seemed to put his dismal batting display behind him he was caught out after making 22 runs which all but ended any chance they had at winning this match.

The captain has been criticised from all angles this summer and the display yesterday may be the final straw.

It may come down to what do England need more, Cook the captain or Cook the batsman, but at the moment neither are impressing. 

England had lost three wickets for two runs in 26 balls and will need a miracle to get anything from the Test.

The day started off terribly for Cook and his men, with Ravindra Jadeja hurting the hosts badly with a counter-attacking, career-best 68 from the number eight as India reached 342 all out by mid-afternoon on day four — and therefore set England 319 to win.

The equation appeared sure to be more favourable for Cook’s men when the tourists were 235 for seven, having just lost opener Murali Vijay for an impressive 95 on a cloudy morning.

But Joe Root dropped Bhuvneshwar Kumar (52) on two, and he and Jadeja punished England in a stand of 99 — especially through a 10-over passage of play after lunch which yielded 66 runs.

With the third Test starting on Sunday, England may as well start planning for what lies ahead.