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Thriller On The Cards As Day 4 Ends Prematurely After Bowlers Conquer Final Session

Arnav Chopra

ENG vs IND (Source: @BCCI, @englandcricket/X.com)ENG vs IND (Source: @BCCI, @englandcricket/X.com)

The day that will be remembered in the history of Test cricket for a very long time, India and England played sensationally well on the fourth day of the fifth Test at the Oval. Unfortunately, due to rain, we couldn't see a conclusion, as England required 35 runs while India required four wickets to win when early stumps were called.

Here, we take a look at how it panned out on Day 4 of the fifth Test between England and India at the Kennington Oval in London on Sunday, August 3rd.

Brook-Root Partnership Almost Snatches Game Away From India

England resumed the day on 50 for the loss of one wicket as Ben Duckett walked out to bat, alongside skipper Ollie Pope. However, Duckett, after scoring 54, was sent back by Prasidh Krishna when England had 82 runs on the board, while Pope couldn't do much and was dismissed for 27 by Mohammed Siraj.

However, following that, England never looked back in the game, as the duo of Joe Root and Harry Brook staged a magnificent 195-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Brook also got a chance where Siraj caught him on the boundary, but unfortunately, he stepped on the boundary cushion, allowing for the England batter's survival.

Following the loss of their third wicket on 106, England went on to score 301 when Brook departed after scoring a sensational 111, while Joe Root kept his nerve and batted beautifully as well, scoring another blazing ton to rock India.

Siraj, Krishna Bowl The Fiercest Spell Of The Series To Pull India Back

However, just before tea, Jacob Bethal came out to bat and looked partly uncomfortable. Following the tea break, he was dismissed by Prasidh Krishna with an outstanding delivery, knocking his middle pole out of the ground, as England lost their fifth wicket on 332. Soon after Bethal's dismissal, centurion Joe Root on 105 was also sent back by Krishna, as England were in tatters all of a sudden, with 337 for six wickets down.

The game was looking clearly in England's control, and all of a sudden, the duo of Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj bowled one of the finest spells of the series, where England couldn't even score a single run at one stage. After Root's dismissal, England could only manage two runs in the next four overs, where Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton barely survived the fiery spells from the pumped-up Indian pacers.

Unfortunately, when England needed 35 runs for victory and India needed four wickets for the series-levelling win, bad light forced the players to walk back into the pavilion. Following which, rain intervened, and play could never resume after the end of the day, as early stumps were called to put an end to day 4.

England now have 339 runs on the board for the loss of six wickets, where they just need 35 runs for victory, but only have four wickets remaining and will have to face the pacers who will walk out tomorrow on Day 5, highly motivated with the new ball due in a few overs, as we might just witness a fitting climaz to what has been a utterly exquisite series so far.