India sparked life into the match by grabbing two quick wickets in the final session, setting up a thrilling finish on the last day due to rain delays.
“Harry Brook tried to pull a short ball from Prasidh Krishna and skied it. Mohammad Siraj caught the ball cleanly near the boundary but stepped on the rope, gifting Brook a reprieve on 19.” The let-off proved costly, as Brook went on to hammer a devastating century. Joe Root, batting with trademark composure, notched up his third consecutive hundred. Just when England looked to be cruising toward victory, India clawed their way back with a late double blow.
The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy could have been decided on Day 4 at The Oval. But due to bad light and rain, both the fifth Test and the series will now be decided on the final day.
England still need 35 more runs to win. With Chris Woakes—injured on Day 1—unlikely to bat, India effectively need just three wickets to snatch victory.
Chasing a stiff 374, England are 339 for 6. Jamie Smith and Craig Overton will resume on the final day.
Once again, it was the duo of Brook and Root who nearly pulled off a daunting chase of over 350—England’s second such effort in the series. Together, they stitched a superb 195-run stand for the fourth wicket. Brook hammered 111 off just 98 balls with 14 fours and 2 sixes—his 10th Test ton. Root added a classy 105 off 152 balls with 12 boundaries.
“Root’s 39th Test hundred takes him past Kumar Sangakkara on the all-time list, now placing him fourth among centurions in Test cricket.”
Despite some help for the seamers, the pitch wasn’t too difficult on Day 4. England began the day at 50 for 1. Ben Duckett, who resumed on 34, made a brisk 54 before falling to a sharp slip catch off Prasidh Krishna. Stand-in captain Ollie Pope got a start but was dismissed for 27 off 34.
England still needed 268 at that point.
Brook counter-attacked right away, hitting a four and a six off Akash Deep. He could’ve been dismissed in the next over—but Siraj’s misjudgment at long leg gave him a second life.
Brook made India pay. He cracked two more boundaries that over and reached his fifty off just 39 balls. Root followed with his own half-century in 81 deliveries.
Shortly before tea, Brook reached his much-anticipated hundred. He moved from 98 to 100 with a calm two off Washington Sundar, completing his first fourth-innings Test century—off just 91 balls.
This was the third-fastest fourth-innings century by an Englishman against India, behind only Jamie Smith (80 balls) and Duckett (88).
Brook’s dazzling knock ended soon after tea, giving a catch after hitting two consecutive boundaries off Akash Deep.
Root, who went to the break on 98, reached his ton shortly after resuming, in 137 balls. He looked up to the sky in tribute to the late Graham Thorpe—England and Surrey’s former batting great.
With Jacob Bethell at the other end, Root seemed to be steering England safely home. But the tide turned. Both fell within 15 balls—Bethell bowled, and Root caught behind, both by Prasidh Krishna.
England were still 37 runs away when bad light halted play. Then the rain came—and play never resumed.
India can take the second new ball after 3.4 more overs. England, leading the series 3–1, now face a stiff challenge to seal it.
Score Summary
- India 1st Innings: 224
- England 1st Innings: 247
- India 2nd Innings: 396
- England 2nd Innings (Target: 374): 339/6 in 76.2 overs
(Duckett 54, Pope 27, Root 105, Brook 111, Bethell 5; Akash 3/85, Prasidh 3/109)
