Final day, final Test: England need 35, India 4 wickets and 4 results possible

India Today

18 hours ago

Day Four at The Oval ended as so many have in this absorbing series — under dark skies, on a damp outfield, and with tension thick in the air. England need just 35 more runs. India require four wickets. And the final day of this epic five-match saga promises the rarest of spectacles: a Test match with all four results still possible.advertisementVictory for England remains the likeliest outcome. An Indian win — improbable, but not implausible. A draw, should rain have its say. And a tie? In a series that has routinely mocked predictions, nothing can be ruled out.This captivating contest will now stretch into a 25th and final day — a fitting finale to a summer defined by bold batting, relentless pace, and emotional resilience. For much of Sunday, England appeared in control. Centuries from Harry Brook and Joe Root powered them towards their daunting target of 374 with unnerving calm. At 317 for four at tea, the game seemed to be slipping away from India.
Oval Test, Day 4 Highlights | Full ScorecardBut, in a twist this series seems to script on demand, the door creaked open again. Prasidh Krishna, steaming in with the second new ball approaching, removed Jacob Bethell and Root in quick succession. Suddenly, the equation looked far more delicate: 339 for six, light fading, and Chris Woakes potentially unavailable to bat due to a shoulder injury.When bad light — and eventually rain — forced an early close, India had clawed back momentum. The fielders had found their voice again. Siraj was charging in like a man possessed. The new ball is just 3.4 overs away, and the pitch — softened by the heavy roller and summer wear — may yet hold surprises.Brook and Root: Different gears, same impactEarlier in the day, Brook and Root dismantled India's attack in contrasting styles but with equal effectiveness. Brook, dropped on 19 when Siraj stepped on the rope, made the most of the reprieve — crashing Akash Deep for six and unfurling a flurry of boundaries. His second century of the series came off just 91 balls, an innings of audacity and perfect timing.Root, ever the craftsman, anchored the innings with poise and precision. His 39th Test hundred — and 13th against India — was built with trademark elegance. Upon reaching the milestone, he offered a moving tribute to his former coach and mentor, Graham Thorpe, raising both his bat and headband to the sky.Brook's innings ended as dramatically as it began — a flying bat, a mistimed lofted drive, and a straightforward catch at mid-off. Root fell soon after, edging behind as the ball began to talk again. It was the kind of double-strike that shifts not just momentum, but mood — in the middle and in the dressing room.SIRAJ LEADS INDIA'S SPIRITED FIGHTBACKadvertisementThe day began with India desperate for early inroads. England, resuming at 50 for one, looked settled. But Prasidh Krishna struck early, drawing a loose drive from Ben Duckett who edged to KL Rahul at slip. Mohammed Siraj, tireless as ever, followed with a sharp nip-backer that trapped Ollie Pope in front. It was Siraj's second dismissal of Pope in the match and his 20th wicket of the series, confirming his place as the leading wicket-taker.India had a brief opening. But England's No. 3 and No. 5 closed it swiftly, adding 195 runs in just over 35 overs. The spinners - Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja - couldn't find rhythm or control, allowing the game to drift away.In the final session, Siraj and Prasidh returned for one last spell - and the tide began to turn.With reverse swing in play, the ball started to behave unpredictably. England's scoring rate dipped, the crowd grew restless, and India saw a chance. Both quicks dug deep, sending down testing overs late in the day. Prasidh had bowled 22.2 overs, Siraj 26. Yet neither showed signs of letting up.advertisementIt was Prasidh who cracked the door open. Despite conceding runs earlier, he kept believing. Jacob Bethell's rash stroke handed India a way back. Prasidh backed it up with a sharp two-over spell, beating the bat and drawing tentative pushes from the batters.Siraj fed off the energy. Fired up at the other end, he kept up the pressure and was rewarded when Joe Root edged behind, undone by a lapse in focus. The Indian supporters roared their approval. The mood had shifted.India, written off just an hour earlier, were suddenly back in it. The pair's resilience and refusal to back down gave India a glimmer - and perhaps more - heading into the final day.Heavy roller vs fresh legs: The Day 5 equationEngland will resume with Jamie Overton and Jamie Smith at the crease, likely to call for the heavy roller once again to settle the surface and ease the final stretch of their chase. But after India's spirited fightback late on Sunday evening, the momentum may have ever so slightly shifted in favour of the visitors.advertisementIndia's pacers bowled with ferocity and heart, rotating through punishing spells. Prasidh Krishna sent down 22.2 overs in the innings; Mohammed Siraj, the tireless spearhead, delivered 26. When shoulders had begun to drop, Siraj and Krishna found another gear, igniting the Oval evening with a burst of hostile, inspired fast bowling that cracked the game open.Siraj, running on fumes, gave everything in the final session before rain halted play. Already having bowled a demanding eight-over spell, he returned after Jacob Bethell's dismissal to attack Joe Root's pads with venomous nip-backers. The fielders came alive, rallying behind every shout and half-chance. Prasidh, too, found late rhythm, inducing false strokes and rattling England's lower order as shadows lengthened.India's pace battery, having emptied their tanks, will welcome the overnight break before making one final push.That has been the pattern all series: just when one side has seemed to seize control, the other has clawed back-often from the very brink.Will the interruption stall India's surge? Or has it arrived just in time to refuel their fast bowlers for one last heave? The final day holds the answers-and promises a finish to remember.advertisementForecast for Day Five: Nerves, clouds, and chaosThe weather could once again have its say. Morning conditions are expected to stay largely dry, but showers loom in the afternoon — particularly around 2 to 4 PM. Cloud cover, heavy from the start, may aid India's seamers as they hunt the final four wickets.England, meanwhile, will hope for calm skies and calmer heads — and for Smith and Overton to finish what Brook and Root started.Yet, nothing has come easy in this series. Every session has rewritten the script. Every breakthrough has shifted the tone. And now, with one last chapter to be written, the stakes could not be higher.Five Tests. Twenty-five days. A thousand storylines. And just 35 runs — or four wickets — left to decide it all.Whatever happens, the Oval is ready. For the fifth time in five matches, this series will go down to the final day. And just like the others, it offers no easy answers — only theatre.- EndsTune InYou May Also Like