Final-Day Drama Awaits as England Close in on Historic Chase at The Oval

The fourth day of the fifth Test at The Oval was a heart-pounding chapter in England’s chase of 374 against India. When rain and bad light called a halt at 76.2 overs, England stood at 339/6, just 35 runs shy of victory with four wickets in hand. It was a day of dazzling centuries from Joe Root and Harry Brook, fierce resistance from India’s bowlers, led by Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj, and moments of pure drama that left fans on the edge of their seats. The stage is set for a blockbuster final day.

Joe Root and Harry Brook Handle the Run Chase

England kicked off the day at 50/1 after 13.5 overs, with Ben Duckett on 34 and Joe Root yet to score. Chasing a steep 374, the hosts knew they were in for a slog against India’s charged-up bowlers. Mohammed Siraj came out swinging, his pace and precision unsettling England early. In the 14th over, he got one to nip away, catching Zak Crawley’s edge for 14. Crawley, who’d looked solid in his 36-ball stay with two crisp fours, trudged off after Dhruv Jurel pouched the catch behind. The wicket, breaking the opening stand at 50, gave India a jolt of hope, sensing a crack in England’s batting lineup.

Duckettman delivers again 👏#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/2PnTHkARTB

— England's Barmy Army 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) August 3, 2025

Ben Duckett, though, was in no mood to back down. He played with his usual flair, carving six boundaries to reach a stylish fifty off 76 balls. His 54 off 83 balls, struck at a brisk 65.06, kept England’s run rate humming at 4.44. But Prasidh Krishna, India’s towering pacer, had other plans. In the 23rd over, he lured Duckett into a loose drive, and KL Rahul snapped up the edge at slip. At 82/2, England were wobbling, and Ollie Pope, the captain, strode out to steady the ship. Pope started with a bang, cracking five fours in a breezy 27 off 34 balls, showing England meant business.

India’s bowlers, however, kept their cool. Siraj (2/95 in 26 overs) and Akash Deep (1/85 in 20 overs) stuck to tight lines, with Akash Deep’s 4.25 economy rate squeezing the scoring. Siraj struck again in the 27th over, pinning Pope lbw for 27. England’s review couldn’t save him. The ball was crashing into the stumps. At drinks, England were 87/2 after 26 overs, with Root on 3 and Harry Brook, the new batter, on 0. By the session’s end, England had nudged to 100 runs in 26.6 overs, adding 50 runs in 13 overs but losing two key wickets. It was a tense, even contest as India’s bowlers landed blows, but England kept their eyes on the prize. The afternoon loomed large.

And breath 🥵

England reach 164-3 at lunch, needing 210 more runs to win 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/VXjRe5UuL6

— England's Barmy Army 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) August 3, 2025

The post-lunch session was where England grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck. Joe Root and Harry Brook put on a dazzling 195-run stand for the fourth wicket, turning the tide with a mix of grit and audacity. Brook was pure fireworks, racing to a fifty off just 39 balls, hammering six fours and two huge sixes. He took apart Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep, who couldn’t find a way to slow him down. England plundered 153 runs in 28 overs, a scorching pace that slashed the target and left India scrambling.

Root, at the other end, was the picture of calm. He reached his fifty off 81 balls with six boundaries, anchoring the innings with his trademark poise. The pair’s partnership hit 50 in just 48 balls, with Brook’s explosive 36 dwarfing Root’s steady 13. By the 44th over, England had stormed to 200 runs in 43.6 overs, with extras chipping in 9. Brook’s century was a masterpiece of 111 off 91 balls, packed with 12 fours and two sixes, at a strike rate of 113.26. He was seeing the ball like a beach ball, picking gaps and punishing anything loose. The stand crossed 100 runs in 108 balls, with Root on 32 and Brook on 62, and later powered past 150 in 164 balls, with Root on 53 and Brook on 89.

Harry Brook at his very best 😍#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/vEBhTR3RNt

— England's Barmy Army 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) August 3, 2025

Root, closing in on a ton, batted with serene control, guiding England to 250 in 53.5 overs. At tea, England were flying at 317/4 after 66 overs, with Root unbeaten on 98 and Jacob Bethell, fresh at the crease, on 1. India’s bowlers were shell-shocked as Siraj (3.65 economy), Prasidh (4.88 economy), and Akash Deep (4.25 economy) found no answers. Spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, barely used, leaked runs at 5.50 and 4.75 per over. With 57 runs needed and six wickets left, England were firmly in charge. The evening brought a twist, as India roared back into the contest.

Joe Root sealed his 39th Test century off 137 balls, with 12 fours, a knock that cemented his place among cricket’s elite, second only to Sachin Tendulkar for Test runs. His 105 off 152 balls, at a strike rate of 69.07, was a blend of steel and skill, guiding England through choppy waters. But India fought back. In the 70th over, Prasidh Krishna struck, getting Jacob Bethell to chop on for 5 after a dogged 31 balls. The breakthrough lifted India’s spirits, and Prasidh wasn’t done. In the 73rd over, he sent Root packing for 105, caught behind by Jurel. Those two wickets in nine balls flipped the mood, leaving England at 337/6.

There will be no more play at The Oval.#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/MvVpPZvW2S

— England's Barmy Army 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) August 3, 2025

Root’s exit was a gut punch as he had been the backbone of the chase. Jamie Smith (2 not out off 17 balls) and Jamie Overton (0 not out off 8 balls) faced a nervy spell, but rain and bad light stopped play at 76.2 overs, with England at 339/6. The final 10 overs saw just 2.20 runs per over, a sign of India’s tightened grip and the growing tension. Prasidh ended with 3/109 in 22.2 overs, his late wickets keeping India alive, while Siraj’s 2/95 in 26 overs included Crawley and Pope.

Akash Deep’s lone wicket (1/85) was Brook, caught by Siraj at 62.4 overs for 111. India planned to strike early, with Siraj and Prasidh targeting the top order. Their morning discipline kept England in check, but Brook’s middle-session onslaught exposed India’s lack of bowling depth, with Jadeja and Sundar barely used. England’s strategy was simple: Root held firm, Brook went big, and it worked until India’s late rally. Reviews spiced things up as England’s failed challenge for Pope’s lbw and India’s unsuccessful ones against Root added to the drama.

TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game

The 34.1 over was pure theatre, earning TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game. Harry Brook, facing Prasidh Krishna, lofted a shot to fine leg, where Mohammed Siraj pulled off a stunner, grabbing the ball cleanly. Prasidh celebrated wildly, thinking Brook was gone. The crowd roared, but then came the twist.

A story in four parts 😂#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/tufLtECEDo

— England's Barmy Army 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) August 3, 2025

As Siraj steadied himself, his foot clipped the boundary rope, and the ball, still in his hand, crossed the line. A wicket became a SIX. Siraj hid his face in despair, and the crowd’s “eeehhh-oooohhh” captured the moment’s shock. Brook, grinning cheekily, cashed in, adding vital runs. It was cricket’s cruel beauty as a brilliant catch was undone by a split-second slip, tilting the game England’s way.

TCNI’s Hero of the Day

Joe Root was TCNI’s Hero of the Day, his majestic century keeping England’s chase of 374 alive. His 105 off 152 balls, with 12 fours, was a lesson in Test batting, blending patience with poise. Coming in at 82/2 after Ben Duckett’s 54 and Ollie Pope’s 27, Root built a massive 195-run stand with Harry Brook, who blasted 111 off 98 balls.

Joe Root put a headband on straight away after scoring his 39th Test century, in memory of Thorpey ❤️ pic.twitter.com/bwWYvSN9ml

— England's Barmy Army 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) August 3, 2025

Root’s steady hand tamed India’s attack, led by Prasidh Krishna (3/109) and Mohammed Siraj (2/95). Though he fell to Prasidh late, his knock left England needing just 35 runs, with Jamie Smith (2) and Jamie Overton (0) at the crease, and Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, and Josh Tongue to follow. Root’s brilliance has set up a thrilling finish, with England on the brink of glory.