On Day 4 of the fifth Test, Team India’s close-in fielders made a big impact with their energetic and noisy presence. Their constant chatter and sharp banter aimed to unsettle the England batsmen, especially targeting the top order.
Captain Shubman Gill Leads the Vocal Charge
With Karun Nair off the field, captain Shubman Gill stood first slip and took charge by leading from the front. Along with him, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Washington Sundar were especially vocal, their chatter mostly directed at Ben Duckett. Duckett looked visibly disturbed by their relentless verbal volleys.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri, commentating for Sky Sports, joked, “I’d be after a pair of earplugs.” The tactic worked as Duckett, who had scored a brilliant 149 in the previous match, was dismissed for 54. Prasidh Krishna bowled a fuller delivery that Duckett drove, edging it to the slip cordon, which celebrated enthusiastically.
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s Emotional Century at The Oval
Yashasvi Jaiswal shone again, scoring a fine 118 in the second innings, helping India reach 396. The innings was not just important for the match but carried personal emotions for the young batter. The official BCCI X account shared Jaiswal’s reflections on his knock.
“I’m really happy, I really enjoyed the innings. It was the last push for this tour, so I was just trying my best and telling myself to keep playing session by session, one ball at a time and yeah, I really enjoyed it,” he said.
This was Jaiswal’s second century of the series. It was a special moment as his parents watched him play for India live for the first time. He shared, “The celebration was for my mom and dad. My family was there. I was really excited and it was quite emotional for me, that they were here for the first time watching me play for India and I did well. I’m really blessed and grateful that I could perform in front of them.”
Jaiswal’s Resilience Amid Challenges
Despite being dropped three times, Jaiswal took full advantage and powered through to his fourth overseas Test century. The pitch at The Oval changed during his innings, initially posing challenges but later easing, allowing some movement for the fast bowlers.
Jaiswal reached his century off 127 balls by pushing a single off Gus Atkinson. He celebrated with joy, blowing kisses to the stands as the crowd, including his parents, cheered his outstanding performance.
India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak praised Jaiswal’s technique and mindset. “Jaiswal has obviously been outstanding. The way he batted in Australia earlier and now here… he doesn’t just defend blindly, he bats with a clear plan and executes it well,” Kotak said.
Pacer Prasidh Krishna also admired Jaiswal’s grit and patience under pressure. “I think every run was important, that was the talk in the dressing room and the way Jaiswal batted, he batted like a lion. He showed great patience and maturity,” Krishna added.
