Yashasvi Jaiswal struck a fluent century and Washington Sundar added a blistering fifty before Mohammed Siraj landed a late blow to put India on top at the close of day three in the fifth and final Test against England at the Oval on 2 August.
India were bowled out for 396 in their second innings, setting England a daunting fourth-innings target of 374 with just over two days of play remaining. Siraj, featuring in his fifth consecutive Test in this hard-fought series, clean bowled Zak Crawley for 14 with the penultimate ball of the day to hand India a vital breakthrough. England closed on 50 for 1, still needing 324 runs to win, with Ben Duckett unbeaten on 34.
No side has ever chased more than 263 in the fourth innings to win a Test at the Oval England’s famous one-wicket triumph over Australia in 1902. While they did manage 378 to beat India at Edgbaston in 2022, and 371 earlier in this series at Headingley, the task in hand appears steep.
Earlier, Jaiswal continued his outstanding series with a composed 118, his second century of the campaign after his ton at Headingley. The 23-year-old opener added 107 runs for the third wicket with Akash Deep, who defied his role as nightwatchman to compile a composed 66 his maiden Test fifty.
India resumed the day on 75 for 2, and Deep survived a scare early on when Zak Crawley dropped a sharp two-handed chance at third slip off Josh Tongue. He capitalised on the reprieve, reaching his fifty with a well-timed pull off Gus Atkinson. However, just before lunch, Deep was dismissed after slicing Jamie Overton to backward point.
India captain Shubman Gill, who has enjoyed a stellar series, was dismissed first ball after the interval, trapped lbw by Atkinson for 11. That left him 20 runs short of Sunil Gavaskar’s record for most runs by an Indian in a Test series 774, set in 1971. Gill finishes the series with 754 runs at an average of 75, including four centuries.
Jaiswal reached his century from 127 balls, striking 12 fours and two sixes. He was fortunate to survive three chances during his innings, with England’s sloppy fielding continuing to cost them six catches in total. The left-hander was eventually dismissed when he attempted a ramp shot off Tongue and picked out a deep backward point.
Ravindra Jadeja added a steady 53 his fifth half-century of the series before Sundar launched a ferocious counterattack once the second new ball was taken with India on 342 for 7 after 80 overs. England, already hampered by the absence of Chris Woakes due to a shoulder injury sustained on day one, struggled to contain Sundar, who struck three sixes in quick succession.
Sundar brought up his fifty from just 39 deliveries, hammering Tongue over fine leg and deep midwicket, and then dispatching Atkinson for two fours and a towering six in a single over. He was the last man out, but not before stretching India’s lead to 373.
Tongue finished with figures of 5 for 125, but England’s attack looked depleted and lacked control for much of the innings.