Joe Root’s unbeaten 106 led England's recovery from early trouble after Indian fast bowler Akash Deep took three wickets on debut in the fourth Test on Friday.

England, who are fighting to stay alive at 2/1 down in the five-match series, reached stumps at 302/7 after electing to bat first in Ranchi.

The tourists slipped to 112/5 but Root, with just 77 runs over his previous six innings, found his form to put on a 113-run stand with wicketkeeper-batsman Ben Foakes, who made 47.

After Mohammed Siraj removed Foakes to break the partnership, former captain Root held strong and, at the end of play, had Ollie Robinson for company in an unbroken stand of 57.

After hitting a boundary off Deep to get his hundred, Root removed his helmet and hoisted his bat to a standing ovation from the England players and supporters.

England's surprisingly patient batting display featured composed performances from Root and Foakes. This was a momentary shift from their attacking "Bazball" style, which had cost them a wicket in the afternoon session.

After tea, Siraj returned to the attack, and swung the ball to get Foakes caught at mid-wicket before bowling Tom Hartley for thirteen.

On a cracked surface that was predicted to turn more, Root persevered, hitting nine boundaries in his 226 balls.

After receiving his first Test cap from coach Rahul Dravid, the 27-year-old Deep looked fantastic in place of the rested Jasprit Bumrah.

Though he was adamant that he had Zak Crawley dismissed for four for his first Test wicket, the opener, Deep had taken it off a no-ball.

After counterattacking, Crawley, who eventually scored 42, hit Siraj for four consecutive boundaries, three of which were fours and one six.

However, Deep claimed his first wicket in an international match when Ben Duckett was caught behind for 11,

“I felt bad (on the no-ball),” Deep told broadcasters Sports 18 after Stumps on Day 1. “I was just hoping that the team doesn't lose because of that (since Crawley was batting well).”

He struck again two balls later to trap Ollie Pope lbw for a duck, a decision denied by the on-field umpire but successfully reviewed by India after the tracker showed the ball would have hit the top of leg stump.

Deep then bowled Crawley with another beauty that darted in to the opener and rattled the stumps, as England slipped to 57-3 in only the first hour of play.

Root and Jonny Bairstow put together 52 runs before Ravichandran Ashwin had Bairstow lbw on 38 in another successful Indian review.

Skipper Ben Stokes was trapped lbw by Ravindra Jadeja for three on the stroke of lunch to leave England in serious trouble.

With inputs from AFP