London [UK], August 4 : In an absolute humdinger of a contest, inspirational spells from Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna helped India draw the five-match series against England, denying the hosts a series win, beating them by six runs while defending 374 runs, in an absolute thriller at The Oval on Monday.
With this win, the Shubman Gill-led Team India has started the new era with immense promise, drawing the series 2-2. After England opted to bowl first, India was skittled out for 224, with a Karun Nair century being a standout. Zak Crawley and Harry Brook fifties took England to 247, giving them a slender 23-run lead with four-fer each from Siraj and Krishna. A much better batting display, with standout century from Yashasvi Jaiswal took India to 396, giving them a 373 runs lead. At one point on day four, England was 317/4 thanks to centuries from Root and Brook, but a late surge by pacers Siraj, Krishna and Akash Deep gave India one of their finest Test wins, with Siraj taking a five-wicket haul to cap off a memorable series.
The first session of day five started with England at 339/6, with Jamie Overton (0*) and Jamie Smith (2*) unbeaten. The day could not have started on a much worse note for India, as Prasidh Krishna conceded two boundaries in two successive balls to start off.
However, the Indians got a major lift, with Jamie nicking one to Dhruv Jurel, falling to Mohammed Siraj for just two runs in 20 balls. England was 347/7 and Siraj got his third wicket.
However, England crossed the 350-run mark in 78.4 overs.
Siraj produced another breakthrough, removing Overton for nine off 17 balls, trapping him leg-before-wicket. England was eight down at 354, with the pacer getting his fourth scalp.
Josh Tongue survived a close lbw call on a Prasidh delivery as the ball missed the leg stump. However, he ended up becoming Prasidh's fourth victim after all, cleaned up for a 12-ball duck, courtesy of a superb yorker that left his stumps in a mess. England was 357/9, and a slinged-up, injured Chris Woakes came out to bat.
Gus Atkinson released the pressure, with a massive six, with Akash Deep missing out on a catch. England needed 11 runs to win. The deficit came down to eight runs, with Atkinson taking a couple. Another single reduced the target to seven and most importantly, kept an injured Woakes off strike.
Siraj took the fifth and final wicket, pulling off a miraculous win for India.
Siraj (5/104) and Krishna (4/126) toil paid off, as the series was levelled.
At the end of day four's play, England was 339/6, with Jamie Overton (0*) and Jamie Smith (2*) unbeaten. England still needed 35 runs to win, with uncertainty over Chris Woakes coming to bat or not after a shoulder injury. Wickets from Akash Deep and Prasidh towards the end and a relentless spell from Siraj towards the end of the session give India fans some hope that India will make the Three Lions toil really hard for these remaining runs.
England kick-started the second session at 164/3, with Joe Root (23*) and Harry Brook (38*) unbeaten. Brook started the session positively, getting two boundaries against Prasidh Krishna in the first over itself. Brook reached his 14th Test fifty in 39 balls, with six fours and two sixes.
England's attacking intent continued to pay dividends as they reached the 200-run mark in 44 overs, bringing down the target to 174 runs.
Both Yorkshire lads continued batting at a good tick, reaching their 100-run stand in just 108 balls.
Frustration continued for India as Brook-Root continued to milk singles comfortably and Root reached his 67th Test fifty in 81 balls, with six fours.
Brook was scoring runs at a fine strike rate, taking England to 239/3 at drinks, with England 135 runs away from a win.
England brought up their 250-run mark in 53.5 overs as the assault continued on India. Eventually, the target got under 100 runs. Brook continued his fine Test run, racing to his 10th Test ton in 91 balls, with 12 fours and two sixes. With two crunchy boundaries on two successive balls against Akash in the 63rd over, Brook helped England to their 300-run mark.
However, Akash had the last laugh, with a catch from Siraj at mid-off, who initially dropped Brook, ending the right-hander's knock at 111 in 98 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes. England was 301/4.
Siraj appealed for lbw against Root, but the Englishman survived and moved into his late 90s with two boundaries against him in the same over.
At 317/4, tea was taken as it was raining hard. England needed 57 runs to win.
After the play resumed, Root reached his 39th Test ton in 137 balls, with 12 fours, as the target was finally below 50 runs. The faint hope for India continued, as Prasidh cleaned up Jacob Bethell for a single-digit score. England was 332/5. Root survived some close leg-before-wicket calls, with India giving their all, especially Mohammed Siraj. The hard work paid off, with Prasidh inducing a nick, sending back Root for 105 in 152 balls, with 12 fours. England was 337/6.
The rain and bad light interrupted the action once again, causing the proceedings to be delayed till the final day.
At the stroke of Lunch on Day 4, England was 164/3 with Root and Brook unbeaten on the crease. The Three Lions needed 210 more runs, and on the other hand, India needed six wickets to win the game. Two wickets and 114 runs were scored in this session. One wicket each was scalped by Siraj (2/44 in 12 overs) and Krishna (1/74 in 13 overs) in their respective spells.
The hosts resumed the fourth day of The Oval test from 50/1 with Ben Duckett 34(48) unbeaten on the crease as they still needed 324 runs to win the match. Right-hand batter Ollie Pope joined the opener as the first session kicked off.
Siraj and Akash Deep started the proceedings for the visitors. Both of them bowled tight spells in the first hour of the session as they managed to get a lot of edges from the English batters. Duckett completed his fifty in 76 balls. He was sent back to the pavilion as Prasidh Krishna dismissed the left-hand batter 54(83), with six fours. England was 82/2. After the opener's dismissal, Joe Root came out to bat. The hosts crossed the 100-run mark in the 27th over as Pope smashed a boundary on the bowling of Krishna. At the score of 106, England lost their third wicket as Siraj dismissed Pope 27(34), with five boundaries, in the same manner in which he did in the first innings.
Following Pope's dismissal, Harry Brook came out to bat. Just before the end of the first session, the English team touched the 150-run mark. Brook and Root completed their 50-run partnership in the 36th over. Before going back for Lunch, both batters built an unbeaten 58-run partnership.
England ended the third day at 50/1, with Ben Duckett (34*) unbeaten.
The third day started for India at 75/2, with Yashasvi Jaiswal (51*) and Akash Deep (4*) unbeaten. The duo put on an entertaining partnership, with Akash (66 in 94 balls, with 12 fours) getting an entertaining half-century as a nightwatchman.
While England got back in the game with quick wickets of Akash, skipper Shubman Gill (11) and Karun Nair (17), reducing India to 229/5, Jaiswal stood tall, forming a 44-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja and ending with 118 in 164 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes before falling to Josh Tongue.
Jadeja put on a half-century stand for the seventh-wicket with Dhruv Jurel (34 in 46 balls, with four boundaries) and took India past the 300-run mark. Quick wickets of Jadeja (53 in 77 balls, with five fours) and Mohammed Siraj (0) brought England back in the game, but some incredible hitting from Washington Sundar (53 in 46 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) took India to 396, increasing their lead to 373 runs.
Tongue (5/125) was the leading bowler for England, with Gus Atkinson getting three and Jamie Overton getting two scalps as well.
India kickstarted the day two at 204/6, with Karun Nair (52*) and Washington Sundar (19*) unbeaten on a half-century stand.
India could add barely 20 runs to their total as Gus Atkinson (5/33) and Josh Tongue (3/57) bowling lethal spells in tandem as India was dismissed for 224 runs.
Later on in their first innings, England had quite a strong start with Ben Duckett (five fours and two sixes) and Zak Crawley (64 on 57 balls, with 14 fours) playing at an ODI tempo. However, by the score of 142, England's top four was inside the hut, with Ollie Pope (22) and Joe Root (29) not making much an impact. Prasidh (4/62) and Siraj (4/83) kept bowling relentlessly, bringing an end to England's proceedings at 247 runs, with India leading by 23 runs.
India ended the day two at 75/2, with Yashasvi Jaiswal (51*) and nightwatchman Akash Deep (4*) unbeaten, following quick wickets of KL Rahul (7) and Sai Sudharsan (11).
England won the toss and opted to field first. On day one, they never let India settle in with a big partnership, with a 45-run stand between skipper Shubman Gill (21 in 35 balls, with four boundaries) and Sudharsan (38 in 108 balls, with six fours) being a highlight, but India was reduced to 153/6. A half-century stand between Karun and Washington pulled India to 204/6 at the end of day one.
Brief Scores: England: 247 and 367/10 (Harry Brook 111, Joe Root 105, Mohammed Siraj 5/104) lost to India: 224 and 396 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 118, Akash Deep 66, Josh Tongue 5/125).
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