India vs England 5th Test, London weather forecast: Rain set to stir things up after fiery pre-match drama at The Oval
However, the weather could disrupt the series decider. According to AccuWeather, Thursday could begin under gloomy skies with a chance of afternoon showers, with thunderstorms predicted between 3-5 PM. Early morning showers are also predicted, which can delay the toss. Rain is also predicted on Friday, with gloomy skies on Day 3.
The UK Met Office has issued a yellow warning for thunderstorms on Thursday, too. With an 80% chance of rain just before and at the scheduled start, a delayed toss now looks likely. The downpour isn't expected to relent either; forecasts predict a persistent 70-80% rain threat through most of the day, with conditions likely to ease only towards stumps.
India have lost all four tosses in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy so far, and the weather conditions will be one of the key indicators in dictating the decision at the toss.
With no margin for error, India are expected to go full tilt for a win to level the series. The team's character at Old Trafford has set up a fitting finale at The Ova, where not just the weather, but temperament and timing, may hold the key.
A resilient fightback
India were staring at defeat for large parts of the fourth Test after conceding a 311-run first-innings lead and losing both openers without a run on board in their second innings. England had piled on 669 after bowling India out for 358, and the game seemed to be slipping away within four days. But the visitors produced one of their most determined batting efforts overseas to defy the odds and walk away with a draw that keeps the series alive.
KL Rahul (90) and Gill (103) stitched together a gritty partnership to steady the innings on the fourth evening, ensuring no further damage before stumps. On the final day, Ravindra Jadeja (107*) and Washington Sundar (101*) displayed remarkable composure and class to bat India to safety with unbeaten centuries.
India will take heart from that performance heading into the final Test. The Oval surface has traditionally offered plenty to batters, especially in the first two innings. A recent County Championship fixture saw both sides amass close to 1500 runs, and the average first-innings total at the venue stands at 343.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
5 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Siraj pushes his limit to lead India's fightback
Mumbai: Even in a lengthy series, you can single out moments of inspiration that can prove defining. Mohammed Siraj's unrelenting spell of eight overs before tea on Day 2 at The Oval could prove to be one. The onus is on India as a collective to back up his brilliance. Mohammed Siraj celebrates after taking the wicket of England's Jacob Bethell. (PTI) It was immediately after India had lost the Lord's Test narrowly that Siraj doffed his hat to Ben Stokes for bowling tireless marathon spells. 'If you can learn from someone, there's no shame,' he said. No shame, indeed. Just like his English pace counterpart, the Hyderabad fast bowler strained every sinew and kept running in to keep India in the Test after their batters had folded up for 224 in the first innings. His spell could well prove the spark for an Indian win to level the series 2-all. Fast bowlers have to bowl long spells from time to time. But think of the strain the present-day pacer has to endure in a five-Test series, stuffed in between a great deal of white-ball cricket. After Chris Woakes' freak injury ruled him from further participation at The Oval, Siraj is the only one among the pace pack from either side to play in all the Tests and still in action – 154 overs and counting. When Siraj came on to bowl mid-day, England openers had already played a powerful hand before lunch in 16 overs of mayhem, scoring at over run-a-ball. India's total had begun to look insufficient. While the sun showed up now and then, the pitch still had plenty of juice. India's pacers had to hit their lengths and stay patient. Siraj was among the bowlers who had gone for plenty with the new ball. He needed an early spark and the bowler created it on his own by getting one to nip back in sharply to Ollie Pope (22), trapping him lbw. Siraj stayed patient, not just with his lengths but lines too. He needed to be against Joe Root. There are days when Siraj likes to have a chirp with the batter. Not on Friday. He left it to Prasidh Krishna. All Siraj wanted was to channel his energies on breaking through Root's defence. He had done it before in the series targeting the stumps and on the final ball of the fifth over of his spell, summoned another one of his scrambled seam deliveries that rammed into Root's pads. The lbw decision was reviewed by Root, but DRS confirmed it. England were now four wickets down, but India still had plenty to do. They didn't have a fourth seamer to exploit the green pitch and Shubman Gill had no choice but to stick with Siraj. As if asking Siraj to invoke the spirit of Ishant Sharma's nine-over spell in the Perth Test of 2008, Gill kept throwing the ball to him for one more over. Siraj bowled his 6th, the 7th and then the 8th. While he worked hard, Siraj was able to pin the talented newcomer Jacob Bethell down with a toe crusher following up on a series of wobble seam balls. This time England wouldn't review. It was obvious that the ball would have dismantled Bethell's stumps. Each of Siraj's three wickets were arrowing in on the stumps and went into the scoresheet as leg before dismissals. After starting the day with a spell of 4-0-31-0, Siraj's second spell read 8-1-35-3. He may have bowled more productive spells before, but few where he was the last fast bowler standing in a punishing series played on batter-friendly decks, barring this one. The Oval Test has offered just rewards to the pacers, to try and overcome the pain barrier, bend their backs and make it count. Siraj did with his four-wicket haul, adding Harry Brook in the end. Siraj has taken on the mantle of leading the pace attack in Jasprit Bumrah's absence. Even in Australia where Bumrah was phenomenal, it was Siraj who bowled the most number of overs. Here, with an innings to come, he is already the series' highest wicket taker. So good has Siraj been with his skills and pluck that he would have won an admirer even from the opposing side in Stokes, the injured England skipper watching from the dressing room.
India.com
5 minutes ago
- India.com
Mohammed Siraj is wearing white headband on Day 2 of 5th Test vs England due to...
Mohammed Siraj wearing white band at Oval on day 2. (PIC - X) New Delhi: Mohammed Siraj was spotted wearing a headband during Day 2 of the fifth Test against England at The Oval, in honour of the late Graham Thorpe. Thorpe was born on this day in 1969 and died on August 4 last year. He was a retired England great who played 100 Tests, making 6,744 runs at 44.66, and played 82 ODIs for 2,380 runs. How did the day start? Interestingly, the day began with all the players of the England team sporting a headband with Thorpe. Even the English commentators – Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton were sporting the same. The players of the England team also took a photo sporting the headband. But it was in the last session of the day that Mohammed Siraj sported the headband and completed the last wicket of England, getting Harry Brook out for 53 runs. How did bowlers perform without Jasprit Bumrah? Without Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna tore through and took four wickets apiece. The day began on a sour note for the team led by Shubman Gill as wickets fell at regular intervals, being bowled out for 224 runs. England openers Zak Crawley smashed a half-century, while Ben Duckett made 43 runs in retaliation. Having given a perfect start, the hosts were to get India into trouble, but that did not happen. What happened in the match? England also lost their wickets early, but Brook was the one who remained steady. He attempted to create a partnership with the middle, but there was hardly any support in the middle. However, he continued and because of his half-century, England had a lead of 23 runs. For India, Siraj and Prasidh indicated their intentions. They did not get off to the best of starts, but once they found their rhythm, the England batsmen found it hard to get going. In the meantime, with the four-wicket bag, Siraj has 18 wickets to his credit – the highest by any bowler in the series so far.
Time of India
12 minutes ago
- Time of India
IND vs ENG 5th Test: Mohammed Siraj - The Last Man Standing
Mohammed Siraj appeals during day two of the 5th Test vs England at The Oval (Photo byfor Surrey CCC) in London: " Mohammed Siraj has one muscle that's bigger than anyone else... his heart." These were the words of Varun Aaron during commentary but these were the sentiments of everyone watching from the stands at The Oval or home. Another lion-hearted spell, another outing of honest effort and Mohammed Siraj showed why he continues to be a rare breed. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! It wasn't a spell where you would stand up and applaud a delivery for sheer skill or work of art. It wasn't a spell where the seam position after release would become muse for the photographers. And, it clearly wasn't a spell where the mischief from the pitch came to his support. It was, however, another spell from the maverick playing his fifth consecutive Test, which had intent written all over it. When he hits the rhythm, like he did during that eight-over burst post Lunch, he turns into a different beast and the ball behaves differently than it had done all day, even from the same spot. That extra effort, even in the fifth Test of the series where he has already sent down over 150 overs, is not just a reflection of his skill but a testament of his character, which he wears on his sleeve. Greenstone Lobo predicts result of India vs England fifth Test | What's in the stars? Those three wickets in the second session ran through the opposition middle-order and allowed India to fight their way back into the game after a very ordinary start with the new ball. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Enjoy 100% Pure New Zealand and fly Air New Zealand Fly Air New Zealand Undo But the moment the ball lost its shine, the 31-year-old looked in far more control and kept pinging the right areas, and the effort took care of the rest. Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell didn't survive the frentic period of play. While the first two were undone by sharp inward movement and those extra yards after pitching, Bethell had no clue about the inswinging yorker which trapped him right in front. That yorker was fired in his seventh straight over of the spell but he had his tail up and the spring in the stride continued for one more over before captain Shubman Gill got him off the attack. It was another unreal effort by the bowler who has given it his all in different conditions and situations throughout the series. He has been the workhorse for the Indian team in their second consecutive five-Test series and served another reminder of why he needs to be celebrated, and appreciated even more. Siraj is one player who shouldn't be judged on just wickets, strike-rate and other numerical readings. Poll What do you think is Mohammed Siraj's greatest attribute as a bowler? Skill and technique Heart and determination Fitness and stamina Tactical awareness He puts his heart and soul every time he steps onto the field for the team, and there clearly are no half-measures. He had thanked the almighty for blessing him with good fitness but more than the blessings, it's his will, drive and energy which keeps him going. And kept him going on an overcast afternoon at The Oval. In a series where bowlers from both teams have been rotated, managed and preserved, Siraj has remained an exception who has run in hard every single time. The right-armer is a proper team man, captain's dream and opposition's nightmare as he doesn't give an inch as far as effort is concerned. There are off days, erratic spells, lack of rhythm but no dearth of intent. While others keep their biomechanics in check for these marathon outings, Siraj doesn't need to complicate. For him, it's all about putting his heart behind the ball every time he stands on top of the bowling mark. He has already done it on 932 occasions in the series, and looks ready to go all in one last time in the second essay. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
