Jaiswal and Deep Keep India in the Hunt Against England

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Akash Deep forged a century partnership as India asserted dominance on the third morning of the fifth and deciding Test against England at The Oval.

India, needing a victory to level the series at 2-2, reached 189 for 3 in their second innings — holding an overall lead of 166 runs — at lunch on Saturday.

Key Batting Performances

Match Context and Team Updates

India resumed the day on 75-2 after restricting England to a first-innings total of 247. Pacemen Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj impressed with four wickets apiece, capitalising on England’s decision to rest Jasprit Bumrah, the world’s top-ranked Test bowler.

England faced setbacks with injuries to key players: Chris Woakes was ruled out after sustaining a shoulder injury while fielding on Thursday, and England captain Ben Stokes was also absent due to a shoulder issue. This placed greater responsibility on the remaining pace attack comprising Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, and Jamie Overton.

Key Moments and Incidents

• Akash Deep survived a leg before wicket (lbw) appeal off Josh Tongue on umpire’s call when on 21.
• The following ball, Deep edged Tongue but Zak Crawley dropped a crucial two-handed catch at third slip — England’s fourth dropped catch of the innings, proving costly.
• Gus Atkinson, the standout bowler for England in India’s first innings with figures of 5-33 at his home ground, was hit for four by Deep on the first ball of the day.
• Deep reached his half-century with a commanding pull shot off Atkinson, marking his ninth boundary from just 70 balls.
• The 28-year-old Deep celebrated exuberantly, sharing the moment with Jaiswal.

Wicket and On-Field Tensions

Just as India seemed set to bat through the session uninterrupted, Deep fell to Jamie Overton, caught at backward point off a leading edge.

This was Overton’s first wicket of the match, a redemption after an expensive first innings return of 0-66 from 16 overs.

The match has been marked by simmering tensions, with several England players engaging in verbal exchanges with Shubman Gill and Jaiswal after the Indian batsmen were seen wasting time shortly before the lunch interval.