YASHASVI JAISWAL scored a hundred and Washington Sundar hit a quick fifty as India set England a target of 374 in the final Test at the Oval. Mohammed Siraj then dismissed Zak Crawley with the last ball of the third day to boost India’s chances of levelling the series.
India were bowled out for 396 in their second innings on Saturday, leaving England to chase 374 with two days remaining. Siraj yorked Crawley for 14 with just two balls left, leaving England at 50-1 at stumps. Ben Duckett remained unbeaten on 34, with England needing 324 more runs.
The highest successful fourth-innings chase at the Oval is England’s 263 against Australia in 1902. England’s best chase in any Test is 378 against India at Edgbaston in 2022, and they also chased 371 at Headingley earlier in this series.
“It is a replay from Headingley,” England pacer Josh Tongue, who took 5-125, told the BBC. “It will be a great day of cricket tomorrow and a great day for us if we get the runs. It (the pitch) is doing a bit. A few balls tonight jumped off a good length but if you get through the first hour who knows?”
Jaiswal scored 118, his second century of the series after his ton at Headingley. “I need to push, and I need to do well for my team,” Jaiswal said. “I was constantly talking to myself and enjoying the pressure.”
The opener shared a 107-run stand with nightwatchman Akash Deep, who made 66 for his maiden Test fifty. Ravindra Jadeja and Sundar, both coming off hundreds in Manchester, scored 53 each. Sundar attacked England’s bowlers after the new ball was taken, hitting three sixes and reaching fifty in 39 balls before being the last man out.
England dropped six catches during the innings, including three chances off Jaiswal. Chris Woakes’ absence due to a shoulder injury added to their difficulties.
India had resumed on 75-2. Deep, dropped on 21, reached fifty with his ninth four before falling to Jamie Overton before lunch. Shubman Gill, who has scored 754 runs in the series, was lbw to Gus Atkinson for 11, falling short of Sunil Gavaskar’s record of 774 runs in a series.
Jaiswal completed his century off 127 balls with 12 fours and two sixes. He was eventually caught at deep backward point off Tongue. Jadeja reached his fifty in 71 balls, while Sundar’s late hitting included three sixes and several boundaries.
(With inputs from agencies)
