In his first overseas Test hundred, Rohit Sharma showed dignified restraint. A raised bat to acknowledge the applause, a handshake with Cheteshwar Pujara and a smile, which more than anything else had the relief of breaking the jinx. He has been playing Test cricket since 2013. Eight years and 42 Test matches later, the monkey was finally off his back.
Carried by his century and Pujara’s effervescent 61, the tourists mounted a fightback and two wickets in an over notwithstanding, they finished the day on 270/3, when bad light stopped play. With two days to go, India lead by 171 runs and the ball has started to turn off the footmarks. (READ MORE)
"I wanted to be on the field as much as I could. That hundred was special. Virat just mentioned the effort from the batsmen, and as a unit it was really important. Kept my head down and batted the situation and once we got the lead, we wanted to put pressure on the opposition."
'Well, I think the best thing about both the games has been the character the team has showed. We are not looking to survive in this game, we are here to win. Really proud of the character the team has showed. It's quite relative what you call flat. The conditions were hot and we knew were in with an opportunity when Jadeja was bowling in the rough. The bowlers were good with the reverse swing today. We believed we could get all 10 wickets, we had the belief. What Shardul has done has to be remembered for a long time.'
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A Test where the balance swung both ways almost every session but India showed why they’re one of the best Test teams in the world. The first tour with two Test wins in England since 1986. First win at The Oval since 1971.
Anderson edges one and reviews but it's gone! What an incredible performance and bouncebackability from India, specially after an innings defeat in the last Test. Eyeing a test series win after 14 years in England. Kudos to the Indian pace battery of Burmah and company.
If India win here - not the biggest 'if' - it will be the first time they have won a Test after losing the toss, being put in to bat, and being bowled out for under 200. Previously: 3 draws, 13 defeats.
Bumrah to Anderson and the duel is once again reignited as the Indian seamer digs it short but Anderson rises on his toes and fends it away. Matter of time now.
WICKET! India are one away now. Umesh Yadav gets another and Overton has to go, with a sore elbow too. It takes just 4 deliveries with the new ball for Umesh to bowl Overton - India one away! ENG- 202/9 | England need 166 Runs India need 1 Wicket.
India have finally opted to take the second new ball. The older one was helping them quite a bit with reverse swing. The 'fighting back spirit' from any situation in Indian team is just great! Time for Jadeja perhaps before the roll of the dice with the new ball?
Welcome back for the final session. Ollie Robinson, right-handed bat, comes to the crease. He plays out a quiet over but is hit by a bouncer from Umesh Yadav in the last over.
Chris Woakes finds the man at midwicket and Umesh Yadav joins the party! India are now just two wickets away from a win. The leg trap worked pretty well, a brilliant setup from Kohli, Umesh is good at using an old ball. It is Tea Time at the Oval | ENG- 193/8
Praise the Lord!!! Root chops it on and is unhappy with himself. Was playing with an angled bat and he is gone for 36(78). Kohli is running around in joy, absolute scenes at the Oval.
FOUR, nicely played, tad too full and wide of off, Root leans into the drive and places it in front of square on the off-side, long chase for Rahane, but one in vain.
Here is the damage done so far by Bumrah and the bowlers-
Now Moeen Ali departs for a duck! Jadeja gets the left hander now. England are collapsing. Both Bairstow and Moeen Ali have departed for ducks even as skipper Root has watched on with horror at the other end. Now Woakes joins him.
ENG 147/6
What an yorker! Bairstow is stunned! Bumrah has bowled two English batsmen out now. Boom! England's middle order implodes. India smell victory! Bairstow goes without scoring.
ENG 146/5
What an yorker! Bairstow is stunned! Bumrah has bowled two English batsmen out now. Boom! England's middle order implodes. India smell victory! Bairstow goes without scoring.
ENG 146/5
What an yorker! Bairstow is stunned! Bumrah has bowled two English batsmen out now. Boom! England's middle order implodes. India smell victory! Bairstow goes without scoring.
ENG 146/5
What an yorker! Bairstow is stunned! Bumrah has bowled two English batsmen out now. Boom! England's middle order implodes. India smell victory! Bairstow goes without scoring.
ENG 146/5
What an yorker! Bairstow is stunned! Bumrah has bowled two English batsmen out now. Boom! England's middle order implodes. India smell victory! Bairstow goes without scoring.
ENG 146/5
Bumrah swings it into Pope's stumps. Clatters his stumps. Pope gone for 2. A 100th Test wicket for Bumrah. A big wicket for India. Two quick wickets is exactly what Englanf didn't want after the Lunch break. Jadeja, and now Bumrah, have caused exactly that. Now Bairstow joins Root. The second new ball is 15 overs away. Suddenly, England look to be in a spot of bother.
ENG 146/4
Bumrah and Jadeja operate for India. Jadeja strikes! Haseeb Hameed's defence is breached. He is bowled, gone for 63.
ENG 141/3
An interesting first ball of the session. Jadeja to Root. Jadeja bowls a full toss. Root reverse slaps it away for four. A promising sign of unconventional things to come. The second ball is a no ball. Well then.
ENG 136/2
How will the second session go? Nasser Hussain says England would look to not lose wickets, at least till the drinks break after the first hour. England can go for the win in the final session, when India will tire, if they have wickets in hand, says Nasser.
India throw in Umesh and Siraj for short spells before Lunch. One imagines Bumrah will be running in with his tail up in the afternoon session. For now, Root and Hameed look to defend till the Lunch break. The couple of wickets in the morning session has swung the momentum in India's favour. Going by the volume of chatter from the centre, India think they can win this match.
Root joins Hameed. There's around 15 minutes left in the morning session. Hameed, while still out there, is not looking like the safest batsman. Burns and Malan, both of whom are now out, both looked better prospects for England. The last hour has seen India putting pressure on the English top order, resulting in the run rate going down, and signs of pressure telling. Can England come up with the stomach for a fight?
ENG 121/2
Malan was run out by Hameed, is the verdict from the commentary box. There was no run there, not even in a T20, says Sunny G.
Is that a run out? Malan's expression reveals he does not think he was in the crease. India celebrate. Hameed calls Malan for a run, Malan responds, and is found short. Finally the 2nd wicket, at the stroke of Lunch.
ENG 120/2
Here's how dangerous Jadeja is looking on occasions:
Dropped catch! Hameed slogs Jadeja. Siraj, at mid-on, fumbles the sitter. Jadeja can't believe it! India should have had a second wicket there. Should have! The run rate has come down with Shardul and Jadeja operating, and the pressure almost told on Hameed. Almost.
ENG 112/1
Malan comes in at 3. India bring on Jadeja to capitalize on the rough in front of the left-hander. Hameed gets to his 50. He has not been fluent today, but he has been more compact than he has looked all through this series. Perhaps the last time he looked so compact in England's whites was in Ahmedabad in 2016.
Shardul into the attack now. Burns again flicks off his pads to get another four. A couple of runs to follow, takes Burns to his 50. He has overtaken Hameed and gotten to the mark before him. But next ball, he is gone! He nicks behind to Pant. Shardul draws first blood!
ENG 100/1
A half-hearted appeal as Hameed looks to flick a ball from Umesh on the leg side and Pant collects but no Review taken. Burns now nurdles one of his pads to get four to fine leg. Umesh is straying on the leg side.
ENG 92/0
Burns, like yesterday, gets the first boundary of the pair. Opens the face of his bat against Umesh and the ball runs down to the third man fence. Hameed also looking solid in his defence, approaching his 50.
ENG 85/0
Hameed and Burns resume England's vigil on Day 5. Umesh Yadav bowls the first over of the day.
ENG 78/0
It's a bright sunny Day 5 at The Oval. Which means the pitch might even get better for batting. Will England pull off one of the greatest 4th innings chases ever? Will India have enough ammunition to put them under pressure?
For understandable reasons, a considerable fraction of the pre-day talk today has been on Jadeja.
Like Shardul, who says, "We're into the last day and the game is equally poised. Both teams are pushing hard for a result, you can't expect a lot more. All we need is an early wicket, or even if we get a couple of wickets in the middle, the pressure will be on them. We'll need to keep pushing them back. There can be a bit of reverse swing with the older ball, there's enough footholes and Jadeja will be obviously bowling into the rough. I think there could be a bit of reverse swing on offer later today."
And Kaif, who says:
What a cracking day of the 4th Test we are set for. All four results are very possible, maybe a tie a little less than the other three. Burns and Hameed looked in fine fettle during the evening session yesterday. Can India break through them early on Day 5? Action begins in 15 more minutes.