Friday afternoon at The Oval epitomised the ebbs and flows that have come to define the game’s longest format in recent times.
Just like the fickle English weather, India’s fast bowlers bounced back after a jaded first session, where Zak Crawley (64, 57b, 14×4) and Ben Duckett (43, 38b, 5×4, 2×6) added 92 inside 13 overs.
England went into lunch at 109 for one. However, things changed drastically as Mohammed Siraj’s eight-over spell got him three wickets post lunch and helped India restrict the home side to 247.
IND vs ENG Highlights, 5th Test Day 2
In the final session, Yashasvi Jaiswal’s whirlwind unbeaten 51 off 49 guided India to 75 for two, swelling the team’s lead to 52 runs.
Making the most of a couple of reprieves, Jaiswal found his rhythm after a string of low scores. On a surface where 15 wickets fell in a day, KL Rahul looked jittery before being caught by Joe Root in the slips. B. Sai Sudharsan, too, could not last long as he was trapped leg-before by Gus Atkinson at the fag end of the day.
Earlier, in the opening session, India folded up for 224, adding just 20 runs to its overnight tally and losing the last four wickets. The England openers came up with a whirlwind reply, where they took the Indian seamers to the cleaners.
The Indian bowlers desperately needed to make some adjustments. As Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna pitched the ball a bit fuller and also bowled straighter, England eventually fell into the trap as it lost its last nine wickets for 118 runs.
Prasidh, coming in as a replacement for Jasprit Bumrah, struck in his first over of the post-lunch session, tempting Crawley to miscue a pull and the resultant top edge was snapped up by Ravindra Jadeja.
Back into the attack, Siraj had an immediate impact as he trapped Ollie Pope in front with a sharp in-ducker, off his fourth ball.
England panicked as Root, after looking uncomfortable and getting into a war of words with Prasidh, was trapped leg-before. Siraj added further blows, striking Jacob Bethell plumb on the boot with an in-swinging yorker.
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Shrugging off the disappointment of a forgettable first session, Siraj, who has played in all five Tests, looked rejuvenated as his second spell not only brought India back into the game, but also inspired his teammates.
Prasidh took a cue from Siraj and ensured that Jamie Smith edged one to Rahul at second slip as the wicketkeeper-batter failed to adjust to the length delivery.
From cruising at one point in time, it suddenly looked like England would concede a first-innings lead before Harry Brook’s 53 ensured the host took a slender lead of 23 runs.
Both Siraj and Prasidh scalped four each. It was an incredible fightback by India after it lost its last four wickets in 29 minutes, with Atkinson completing his five-wicket haul.
Karun Nair, who scored a fifty on the opening day, was trapped in front of the wicket by Josh Tongue for 57 while Washington Sundar fell to the short-ball ploy. And as none of the tailenders could step up, the Indian innings ended with a whimper.
