England’s hopes took a hit on Day 1 of the fifth and final Test at The Oval as India posted 204 for 6 in rain-hit conditions. The day belonged to Karun Nair, who scored a composed unbeaten 52, while Sai Sudharsan contributed a gritty 38.
After being put in to bat under cloudy skies, India struggled early against disciplined English pace. Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue claimed two wickets each, while Chris Woakes chipped in with one before rain restricted play to just 64 overs. Despite the interruptions and regular wickets, Nair stood tall and found support from Washington Sundar (19*), steering India to a respectable position by stumps.
England’s bowling attack suffered a major scare late in the day when Chris Woakes appeared to injure his shoulder in the 57th over. Initial reports suggest a possible dislocation, which could sideline him for the remainder of the match and possibly longer. With regular captain Ben Stokes already unavailable, this injury leaves England’s bowling resources stretched as they look to fight back in the final Test of the series.
Play was called off early on Day 2 due to poor light, with England unable to continue with pace and Ollie Pope declining to bowl spin. It brought an end to a thrilling day of Test cricket that saw 15 wickets fall, keeping the contest finely poised heading into Day 3.
Sai Sudharsan was dismissed for 11 after missing a low delivery from Gus Atkinson that angled into middle and leg. Struck below the knee roll, the ball was clearly heading for the stumps, and the on-field decision stood despite a review. Atkinson struck with precision, giving England a timely breakthrough.
Yashasvi Jaiswal reached his half-century in stunning fashion, ramping a short ball from Jamie Overton over the keeper for six. Dug in around middle, Jaiswal leaned back and timed it perfectly. This is his first fifty in the second innings of the series, showcasing both flair and confidence under pressure.
KL Rahul’s cautious innings came to an end on 7 as he edged a loose shot to Joe Root in the slips off Josh Tongue. After doing the hard work early on, Rahul played away from his body and paid the price, gifting England a crucial breakthrough.
Yashasvi Jaiswal showed no hesitation against Jamie Overton, hammering a short ball for a six over point. The delivery slanted away outside off, but Jaiswal rose on his toes and cut it fiercely behind point. The timing was spot on, and the ball sailed comfortably over the ropes.
Yashasvi Jaiswal edged a full delivery from Atkinson, but Harry Brook put down a straightforward chance at second slip. The ball flew off the bat as Jaiswal went hard at it, and though Brook moved left and got both hands to it, he couldn’t hold on. The missed chance allowed India to edge ahead.
Mohammed Siraj ended England’s innings by bowling Harry Brook with an inside edge. A short-of-length delivery angled in and kept slightly low, catching Brook cramped for room. The ball deflected off the toe-end of the bat and crashed into the stumps. With Woakes not batting, England’s innings wrapped up.
Rain has intensified, prompting the umpires to take the players off the field. They briefly waited near the boundary to assess if it was just a passing shower, but the groundsmen quickly moved in with the hessian covers, followed by the white sheets. Play is now on hold due to the weather.
Gus Atkinson’s stay was cut short as Prasidh Krishna claimed his fourth wicket with a well-directed short ball. Atkinson mistimed his pull, sending it straight to Akash Deep at mid-on. The surprise change in length caught the batter off guard, and India continued to dominate with sharp, disciplined bowling.
Prasidh Krishna wrapped up a dominant session for India by removing Jamie Overton LBW with a sharp in-seamer. Overton missed the ball on the inside edge and was struck on the knee roll. A review couldn’t save him, and Prasidh’s double blow in the over put India firmly in control heading into Tea.
Prasidh Krishna picked up a crucial wicket just before the break, removing Jamie Smith for 8. A length delivery with extra bounce outside off saw Smith push at it without much footwork. The ball flew off the bottom edge and KL Rahul held on to a sharp catch at second slip, tightening India’s grip.
Mohammed Siraj delivered a stunning in-swinging yorker to trap Jacob Bethell LBW, wrapping up a relentless spell of fast bowling. Bethell was late in bringing his bat down and was struck flush on the front pad. Siraj, bowling his seventh straight over, claimed his third wicket in a brilliant display of grit and skill.
Mohammed Siraj struck a massive blow by trapping Joe Root LBW with a sharp nip-backer that hit him in front of middle stump. Root reviewed the decision, but ball tracking showed it crashing into the top of leg. With his second LBW dismissal, Siraj continued his fiery post-lunch spell, removing Root for 29.
Mohammed Siraj delivered a crucial breakthrough, trapping Ollie Pope LBW with a sharp in-seamer that struck him on the back pad. Though the on-field umpire was hesitant, India reviewed instantly, and ball tracking showed three reds. Pope departed for 22, giving India their second key wicket in a strong post-lunch session.
Zak Crawley’s fluent innings came to an end on 64 after he mistimed a front-foot heave off Prasidh Krishna, sending a catch straight to Ravindra Jadeja at mid-wicket. India tightened the screws post-lunch with dot balls, and the pressure paid off. Crawley hit 14 boundaries in his 57-ball knock but couldn’t carry on.
Ben Duckett’s reverse scoop backfired as he edged a full delivery from Akash Deep to keeper Dhruv Jurel. The Indian pacer celebrated with a fist pump in Duckett’s face and exchanged a few words before KL Rahul stepped in to calm things down. The wicket ended a dangerous partnership and gave India a crucial breakthrough. Ben Duckett Falls for 43(38).
Akash Deep bowled a sharp, angling delivery from around the wicket that nipped away after pitching and struck Ben Duckett on the knee roll. India’s review was lost as ball tracking showed the ball would have bounced over the stumps, even for the shorter Duckett. No run was scored off the delivery.
England wasted no time on the third morning, taking just 34 deliveries to wrap up India’s innings at 224. Karun Nair’s gritty fifty from the previous evening went in vain as wickets tumbled quickly. Gus Atkinson starred with a five-wicket haul, while Josh Tongue struck crucial blows. Now all eyes turn to England’s reply.
England made early inroads on Day 2, removing overnight batters Karun Nair and Washington Sundar in quick succession. Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson led the charge with the ball, with Atkinson starring in a sharp spell as India were bowled out for just 224.
Gus Atkinson continues his fiery spell, knocking over Mohammed Siraj for a duck with a brilliant outswinger. The Indian tailender was completely beaten, offering no resistance. England’s pacers are tearing through the lower order. India now 224/9 in 69.2 overs.
England made an immediate impact in the opening session of Day 2, removing both overnight batters in quick succession. Karun Nair fell to Josh Tongue, while Washington Sundar was dismissed by Gus Atkinson, reducing India to 220 for 8.
Karun Nair departs for 57, IND 218/7
England pacer Chris Woakes has been ruled out of the remainder of the fifth Test against India at The Oval after suffering a shoulder injury on Day 1 (July 31). The 35-year-old sustained the injury while fielding and was seen leaving the field in visible discomfort, supported by team physio Ben Davies and using his jumper as a makeshift sling. His absence is a significant blow to England’s bowling attack in the series decider.
Karun Nair seized his moment on Day 1 of the fifth and final Test at The Oval, crafting a crucial half-century to help India recover from a shaky start. Back in the playing XI after missing the fourth Test in Manchester, Nair delivered under pressure with a composed and timely knock.
Walking in with India struggling at 83/3, the 33-year-old right-hander brought calm to a tense situation. Facing disciplined English bowling under overcast skies, Nair dug in and reached his fifty in 89 balls, bringing it up with a tidy clip through midwicket for two runs off Jacob Bethell.
There was no over-the-top celebration—just a quiet raise of the bat toward the dressing room, a nod to his teammates and perhaps to himself. For Nair, this wasn’t just a key innings for the team, but a defining one for his career resurgence.
The UK Met Office forecasts a 60–70% chance of rain on Day 2 of the fifth Test at The Oval. The highest risk of showers is expected between 1 PM and 3 PM local time (5:30 PM to 7:30 PM IST). Temperatures will stay steady around 19–20°C.
