London, August 1, 2025 — The fifth and final Test between England and India at The Oval turned into a bowler’s battleground, as 22 wickets fell in just two days, setting the stage for a thrilling finish.
Despite rain interruptions on Day 1, the match progressed rapidly thanks to relentless pace bowling and fragile batting displays.
India began Day 2 at 204/6, but their innings unraveled quickly. Josh Tongue struck early, trapping Karun Nair (57) before Gus Atkinson cleaned up the tail. India managed only 20 more runs as they collapsed to 224 all out. Atkinson claimed a brilliant five-wicket haul, reaffirming his growing reputation at The Oval.
England’s openers, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, launched a furious counterattack, racing past 100 runs in just 15 overs. Duckett smashed a quick 43 before falling, but Crawley looked solid. However, once the second session began, India’s bowlers turned the tide. Prasidh Krishna removed Crawley (64) before Mohammed Siraj delivered a game-changing spell.
Siraj dismissed Ollie Pope, Joe Root, and Jacob Bethell in a fiery eight-over burst. His biggest scalp came late, when he removed Harry Brook (53), making him the series’ top wicket-taker with 18. Krishna supported brilliantly, picking up four wickets himself, including key dismissals of Smith and Atkinson. England’s collapse from 129/1 to 247 all out handed India a narrow 23-run deficit.
When India returned to bat, Yashasvi Jaiswal led the resistance with an unbeaten 51. Though he was dropped twice, he capitalized and stabilized India’s innings alongside nightwatchman Akash Deep. KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan had earlier fallen cheaply. India ended Day 2 at 67/2, holding a 52-run lead before bad light forced early stumps.
The Oval pitch kept the bowlers in the game throughout, offering uneven bounce and seam movement. England, already a player short due to Chris Woakes’ injury, leaned heavily on their pacers. Despite bossing the first session, their momentum was crushed by India’s bowling revival in the second and third sessions.
With the Test delicately poised, Day 3 at The Oval promises more drama. If the bowlers continue to dictate terms, this clash could produce a result well before Day 5.