Crawley To Dominate Siraj? Key Player Battles To Watch In ENG vs IND 5th Test



IND will take on ENG on Thursday [Source: AFP]IND will take on ENG on Thursday [Source: AFP]

As the gripping England-India Test series heads into its decisive fifth match at The Oval starting Thursday, July 31st, anticipation is high. With England leading 2-1, both teams will look to key players to rise in this crucial battle.

Individual duels may prove pivotal in shaping the final result of this high-stakes encounter. Momentum changes, tactical brilliance, and pressure moments are expected to highlight the match as India aim to square the series and England look to seal a famous win.

1. Ollie Pope vs Akash Deep

Criterion
Data
Innings4
Runs38
Dismissal3
Average12.7
  • Ollie Pope, the stand-in skipper, will be vital for England at his County home ground, The Oval.
  • While he has looked solid, he has struggled against Akash Deep, who has dismissed him three times in four innings in Test cricket so far.
  • Pope will be hoping to overcome this battle in the fifth Test to keep himself and England up in the tide.

2. Ravindra Jadeja vs Josh Tongue

Criterion
Data
Innings4
Runs40
Dismissal2
Average20
  • Ravindra Jadeja is enjoying a dream series with the bat, delivering consistently under pressure, including a century in the last outing.
  • England’s search for answers to stop Jadeja may rest with Josh Tongue, the only bowler to dismiss him twice this series.
  • This duel could prove crucial in controlling India’s middle-order momentum.

3. Ben Duckett vs Akash Deep

Criterion
Data
Innings4
Runs15
Dismissal3
Average5
  • Ben Duckett has been an incredible batter for England at the top, troubling most Indian pacers in this series.
  • But Akash Deep has his number, dismissing him 3 times in 4 innings for just 5 runs on average.
  • With Akash likely to return, this top-order clash could be key in the fifth Test.

4. Zak Crawley vs Mohammed Siraj

Criterion
Data
Innings17
Runs157
Dismissal3
Average52.3
  • Zak Crawley vs Mohammed Siraj will be a key contest to watch with the new ball.
  • Crawley has dominated Siraj in Tests, scoring 157 runs off him and falling just three times in 17 innings.
  • If that trend continues, England could get off to another strong start in the final Test.

5. Yashasvi Jaiswal vs Josh Tongue

Criterion
Data
Innings3
Runs69
Dismissal1
Average69
  • Yashasvi Jaiswal against Josh Tongue is another intriguing battle coming up at the Oval.
  • Jaiswal has been struggling to score big recently but absolutely smashed Tongue in the first two Tests, striking at 90.8 and falling just once.
  • A similar outcome of this battle could give India a huge edge in the fifth Test.