London [UK], July 30 : As India gears up for the final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at the Kennington Oval in London, history isn't exactly on their side. The venue, while iconic in cricketing folklore, hasn't been a happy hunting ground for Team India over the years.
In their 15 Test appearances at The Oval, India have managed to win just twice. Six of those encounters have ended in defeats, while seven have been drawn. In short, the Oval has often proven to be a tricky venue for Indian teams of different generations.
In the 21st century, India's only win in this period came in 2021. However, that joy has been surrounded by four defeats and two draws. Their last outing at the venue, in 2023, ended in disappointment, with India going down by a massive 209-run margin.
Now, heading into the fifth and final Test, India must win to level the series. A draw or a loss would hand England the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, something the visitors would be desperate to avoid after putting up a spirited fight throughout the tour.
With the series on the line, and their backs against the wall at a venue that hasn't always been kind, India will need to summon all their resilience, discipline, and belief. The team has shown flashes of brilliance across the series with standout performances from the likes of captain Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, and Ravindra Jadeja but now, it all comes down to this one match.
Coming to the Manchester Test match, England opted to field first. Half-centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal (58 in 107 balls, with 10 fours and a six), Sai Sudharsan (61 in 151 balls, with seven fours) and Rishabh Pant (54 in 75 balls, with three fours and two sixes) took India to 358 runs, with Stokes (5/72) troubling the visitors with timely wickets and not letting a massive partnership happen. Jofra Archer also took 3/73.
In the second innings, Zak Crawley (84 in 113 balls, with 13 fours and a six) and Ben Duckett (94 in 100 balls, with 13 fours) produced a 166-run stand for the opening wicket, sending India on leather hunt. The presence of Joe Root (150 in 248 balls, with 14 fours) and Stokes (141 in 198 balls, with 12 fours and a six) aggravated Indian bowlers, who saw these two produce milestone after milestone on their way to a 311-run lead. England was skittled out for 669 runs, with Ravindra Jadeja (4/143) being the pick of the bowlers. Jasprit Bumrah (2/112) had an off day at work.
After Chris Woakes reduced India to 0/2, KL Rahul (90 in 230 balls, with eight fours) and skipper Shubman Gill (103 in 238 balls, with 12 fours) caused England's faces to tense, batting three sessions for an 188-run stand. After these two were done, the spin all-rounder duo of Jadeja (107* in 185 balls, with 13 fours and a six) and Washington Sundar (101* in 206 balls, with nine fours and a six) rattled and frustrated England with their resolve and wall-like presence, taking India to a 114-run lead, ending at 425/4 in a draw.
The series is still alive at 1-2, with the final match at The Oval to start from July 31.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
