Ollie Pope has lauded Joe Root as a "role model for the next generation" after he became the second-highest Test run-scorer during day three against India.
England moved into a strong position on Friday at Old Trafford as they finished the day on 544-7 in their first innings, taking a 186-run lead over India.
Root started the day on 11 not out and fifth in the all-time list, but a stellar 150 off 248 balls saw him leapfrog India great Rahul Dravid, South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis, and former Australia captain Ricky Ponting.
Root now has 13,409 runs in Test cricket and is just 2,512 behind leader Sachin Tendulkar.
His first-innings total also took him to 104 50+ scores in the longest format, second only to Tendulkar (119), while he scored his 12th century against India, the most by any batter.
Pope hailed Root's influence and believes that the rest of the players can learn a lot of lessons from his approach.
"I think it's his hunger and his drive," Pope told Sky Sports.
"You look at all the batters in the changing room and everyone has picked up something from Joe, not necessarily technically, but more the way he goes about his cricket and his training.
"He is an annoyingly good bloke as well - the way he is with the fans, he is a role model for the next generation coming through.
"There is a lot we can learn and like from him."
England also suffered a scare in Manchester after Ben Stokes briefly left the game due to cramp in the evening session. He retired hurt on 66 but did return after the fall of three wickets to end the day on 77 not out.
The all-rounder, who finished India's first innings after taking 5-72, his first five-wicket haul since 2017, had hamstring surgery in January, but has bowled more overs in this series than any other in his career.
That was his second injury scare of the series, having also appeared to struggle in the third Test, but Pope is confident Stokes will be back at the crease on Saturday.
"He is just cramping down his left leg, and it spread to his whole leg from what I understand," Pope said.
"He has pushed himself to some serious limits so far, and that was a build-up of it. He will be good to go [on Saturday], I am sure."
India, meanwhile, conceded 500 runs for the first time in over 10 years outside Asia and the West Indies.
Ravindra Jadeja (2-117) and Washington Sundar (2-57) were the only players to take more than one wicket as India struggled to gain a foothold at Old Trafford.
Bowling coach Morne Morkel admitted that some of India's defensive attitude stemmed from looking to give themselves batting cover, which in turn affects some of the selection choices, like the decision to not include Kuldeep Yadav, who has not featured on the tour.
"I do think at the end of the day you need runs on the board, and for us obviously giving that a little bit of extra batting protection, wanting to get totals of 400-plus," he said.
"You need it against England, especially the way they play, their brand of cricket.
"But to be honest, the wicket so far has been dry, and it's actually spun a little bit. So that brings Washington into the game. It brings Jaddu [Jadeja] into the game.
"So, Kuldeep, we are trying to find a way for him, but it is just more that consistent runs from our top six that we want so that we can bring a guy like Kuldeep in."
