With the five-match series delicately poised at 2-1 in England’s favour, India and England face off in the fifth and final Test at Kennington Oval, starting Thursday. While both teams are expected to shuffle their XIs—Ben Stokes is out for England, and Jasprit Bumrah’s availability remains uncertain for India—it’s the weather that could dominate headlines. Day 1 is forecast to be heavily rain-affected, with thunderstorms also expected to complicate matters.
According to AccuWeather, Day 1 could see up to four hours of rain, with an 86% chance of precipitation and a 26% chance of thunderstorms. Thick cloud cover is expected throughout, potentially disrupting the start and rhythm of the match. And the wet conditions won’t be limited to Day 1—rain is predicted on all five days, with Day 2 also under a high threat of showers.
England have made four changes, with Jacob Bethell debuting and Stokes sitting out. Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse are being rested, while Atkinson, Overton, and Tongue return. India could recall Akash Deep if Jasprit Bumrah is rested, as he continues to manage a previous back injury.
On a testing surface under overcast skies, India battled to 204/6 by stumps, led by Karun Nair’s unbeaten 52. Despite early setbacks including the run-out of Gill and soft dismissals of Sai Sudharsan and Jadeja, Nair’s composed knock provided stability. England, despite helpful conditions, lacked consistency with the ball.
Karun Nair reached his fifty with a composed shot off Jacob Bethell, clipping a thigh-high delivery to deep backward square for two runs. He acknowledged the milestone with a quiet raise of the hand, earning applause from the dressing room. It’s a vital knock both for the match and his comeback hopes.
Dhruv Jurel’s innings came to an end as he fell to extra bounce from Gus Atkinson. Attempting a cut, Jurel couldn’t handle the steep rise and edged it to Harry Brook at second slip. Brook pulled off a sharp, athletic catch to dismiss Jurel for 19, leaving India six down and under pressure.
Ravindra Jadeja couldn’t survive a rising delivery from Josh Tongue that forced a tentative push and found the edge. The ball climbed sharply off a short length and moved away just enough to catch Jadeja off guard. He edged it to Jamie Smith for 9, giving Tongue his second breakthrough.
Sai Sudharsan’s resistance came to an end after a testing delivery from Josh Tongue forced an outside edge to keeper Jamie Smith. The short-of-length ball nipped away just enough to beat Sudharsan’s bat, catching him squared up. He walked off for a hard-earned 38 off 108 balls without waiting for the umpire.
Shubman Gill threw his wicket away with a careless run-out while batting on 21. Attempting a risky single, he was caught short by a direct hit from Gus Atkinson. The mix-up ended his promising innings, leaving fans and teammates frustrated at the unnecessary dismissal.
KL Rahul’s steady innings came to an end as he chopped a short delivery from Chris Woakes onto his stumps. The ball angled in and bounced awkwardly, cramping Rahul for room. He tried to cut but misjudged it, ending a 40-ball stay that had shown early promise.
Sai Sudharsan got off the mark with a bit of luck, guiding a delivery from Chris Woakes just wide of leg-slip for four. The ball came in on a good length and he used the angle to tuck it fine, narrowly missing the fielder for his first boundary.
Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for just 2 runs, trapped LBW by Gus Atkinson after a successful England review turned the umpire’s original decision.
India Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel(w), Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj
England Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope(c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith(w), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue
India have announced three changes to their XI for the 5th Test against England:
Out: Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Rishabh Pant
In: Prasidh Krishna, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel
England Wins Toss, Elects to Bowl First
Rainy and overcast conditions with 8mm of grass on the pitch, as noted by Nasser Hussain, suggest a bowl-first toss decision and little need for a frontline spinner, typical of County Cricket surfaces. England will be without Ben Stokes due to a shoulder injury, with Ollie Pope leading in his absence, while India miss Rishabh Pant, sidelined by a toe fracture. Up to four hours of rain is forecast for the opening day, potentially disrupting play and favoring seamers early on.
India predicted XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna
England (announced XI): Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue
The Oval is renowned for providing one of the most balanced pitches in England. Although dry summer conditions have led to similar surfaces across venues, the Oval maintains its distinct character, offering early assistance to seamers on Day 1, becoming ideal for batting on Days 2 and 3, and then gradually aiding spinners as the match progresses into the final two days.