The Oval, London, August 2 (Sports Desk)
Day 2 of the 5th Test match at The Oval, part of the India tour of England 2025 and the ICC World Test Championship (Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy), was a dramatic, action-packed day that saw 15 wickets fall and India seize control. Despite England’s dominance in the morning session, India’s bowlers, led by Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, triggered a collapse, while Yashasvi Jaiswal’s unbeaten 51 in India’s second innings extended their lead to 52 runs. With England leading the series 2-1, India’s fightback has kept their hopes alive for a series-leveling victory.
Match Summary
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Venue: The Oval, London
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Series Context: England lead 2-1 after a draw in the 4th Test at Old Trafford. India need a win to draw the series.
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Toss: England won and elected to bowl, leveraging the seam-friendly pitch (8mm grass) and overcast conditions.
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Day 2 Status: India 224 (Nair 57, Atkinson 5/33) and 75/2 (Jaiswal 51*, Akash Deep 4*); England 247 (Crawley 64, Brook 53, Prasidh 4/62, Siraj 4/86). India lead by 52 runs.
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Overs Bowled: 75 overs (India 1st innings concluded, England 1st innings completed, India 2nd innings 18 overs)
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Run Rate: India 2nd innings 4.16 runs/over
India’s First Innings: Atkinson’s Five-For Ends at 224
India resumed Day 2 at 204/6 after 64 overs, with Karun Nair (52)* and Washington Sundar (19)* at the crease. England’s bowlers, led by Gus Atkinson, wrapped up the innings quickly, but India added crucial runs to reach 224.
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Karun Nair (57): Nair added five runs to his overnight score, reaching 57 before falling to Atkinson. His resilient knock, his first Test fifty since 2016, was critical in stabilizing India after a middle-order wobble on Day 1. Nair’s innings ended when Atkinson trapped him lbw, a key blow.
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Washington Sundar: Fell early on Day 2, offering little resistance as Atkinson dismissed him, though exact details of his final score are unclear (likely around 20-25 based on Day 1’s 19*). His partnership with Nair had added 51 runs on Day 1.
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Tail: The lower order, including Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep, was cleaned up swiftly, with India losing their last four wickets for just 20 runs. The innings concluded at 224, a below-par total on a pitch offering seam movement but boosted by England’s 30 extras (including 15 wides from Josh Tongue).
Gus Atkinson (5/33) was the star, securing his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests. His relentless line and length broke key partnerships, dismissing Nair, Sundar, and tail-enders like Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. Josh Tongue (1/25) and Jamie Overton supported, though their inconsistency, as seen on Day 1, persisted. Chris Woakes, ruled out due to a shoulder injury sustained on Day 1, was a significant loss for England’s attack.
England’s First Innings: Collapse After Strong Start
England began their reply confidently, reaching 109/1 at lunch, but a dramatic collapse engineered by Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna saw them bowled out for 247, giving India a slender 23-run lead.
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Zak Crawley (64 off 42 balls): Crawley’s explosive fifty, with 48 runs in boundaries, set a frenetic pace. His aggressive strokeplay, including drives down the ground and over cover, powered England to 50 runs in just 7 overs alongside Ben Duckett. Crawley fell post-lunch, dismissed by Prasidh Krishna, triggering the collapse.
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Ben Duckett (43): Duckett’s aggressive 43 included two sixes—an audacious reverse-pull off Akash Deep and a ramp shot off Siraj. His dismissal, scuffing a shot to wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel off Siraj, shifted the momentum. A moment of jest between Duckett and Siraj added spice to the contest.
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Harry Brook (53): Brook provided resistance with a brisk 53, but his dismissal to Prasidh Krishna, holing out to mid-on, was a turning point. His innings was England’s only other significant contribution.
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Joe Root: Root’s score was modest (exact figure unavailable, likely around 20-30), falling during the middle-session collapse as India’s quicks dominated.
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Collapse: From 109/1, England lost 9 wickets for 155 runs in the middle session. Prasidh Krishna (4/62) dismissed Jamie Smith (caught by KL Rahul at second slip) and Jamie Overton (lbw) in quick succession before tea, while Mohammed Siraj (4/86) dismantled the middle order with fiery spells. Akash Deep contributed, though his wickets were fewer (likely 1-2). The session ended with England bowled out for 247, a disappointing total after their strong start.
India’s bowlers turned the tide post-lunch, with Siraj and Prasidh’s eight wickets proving decisive. The collapse was marked by England’s inability to counter the seam movement and India’s charged-up approach, fueled by on-field tensions.
India’s Second Innings: Jaiswal’s Fiery 51 Extends Lead*
With a 23-run lead, India began their second innings in the final 16 overs of the day, reaching 75/2 and extending their lead to 52 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s unbeaten 51 was the highlight, keeping India steady heading into Day 3.
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Yashasvi Jaiswal (51 off 49 balls)*: Jaiswal’s counter-attacking knock included six fours and two sixes, notably a ramp shot over the keeper off Josh Tongue to bring up his fifty. Dropped twice—on 20 by Harry Brook and on 40 by substitute fielder Liam Dawson—Jaiswal capitalized on England’s fielding lapses. His aggressive intent, including a sumptuous on-drive and cuts over third man, put England under pressure.
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KL Rahul (1 off unspecified balls): Rahul’s resilience ended when Tongue dismissed him, edging to Joe Root at slip. His early departure at 46/1 was a blow, but Jaiswal steadied the innings.
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B Sai Sudharsan (11 off 29 balls): Sudharsan survived a dropped catch by Zak Crawley on 7 but fell lbw to Gus Atkinson for 11, a plumb decision that wasted a review. A confrontation with Ben Duckett as he left the field added to the day’s needle. India were 70/2 at his dismissal.
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Akash Deep (4 off 1 ball)*: Sent in as nightwatchman, Akash Deep chipped his first ball for four, an unintended shot that boosted India’s lead.
England’s Bowling: Gus Atkinson (1 wicket) struck with Sudharsan’s lbw, while Josh Tongue (1/25) bowled an accurate maiden early on and dismissed Rahul. The absence of Woakes stretched England’s attack, and fading light forced stand-in captain Ollie Pope to consider spin (Joe Root or Jacob Bethell), but he opted against it, leading to stumps being called early at 7:16 pm after light-meter checks.
Key Moments
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Atkinson’s Five-For: Gus Atkinson’s 5/33 wrapped up India’s first innings for 224, giving England a strong start.
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England’s Collapse: From 109/1 to 247 all out, India’s quicks, led by Siraj (4/86) and Prasidh (4/62), triggered a nine-wicket collapse for 155 runs, shifting momentum.
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Jaiswal’s Counter-Attack: Yashasvi Jaiswal’s unbeaten 51 off 49 balls, surviving two drops, powered India to a 52-run lead, with a six to reach his fifty being a standout moment.
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On-Field Tensions: The day was marked by needle, including Siraj’s send-off to Duckett, Sudharsan’s exchange with Duckett, and Pope’s discussions with umpire Kumar Dharmasena over light conditions.
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Woakes’ Absence: Chris Woakes’ shoulder injury left England’s bowling thin, with Atkinson, Tongue, and Overton struggling to maintain consistency.
Analysis
Day 2 was a rollercoaster, with England dominating the morning by dismissing India for 224, only for India to roar back with a devastating bowling performance. Siraj and Prasidh’s middle-session heroics turned a 115-run deficit into a 23-run lead, while Jaiswal’s aggressive 51* in the second innings gave India a slight edge. England’s collapse, coupled with fielding lapses (two drops of Jaiswal) and Woakes’ absence, left them vulnerable. The pitch, with 8mm grass, continued to assist seamers, but India’s bowlers exploited it better. With a 52-run lead and eight wickets in hand, India hold the advantage, but Root and Brook’s potential in England’s second innings keeps the match alive.
Looking Ahead
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India’s Strategy: Jaiswal and Akash Deep will aim to extend the lead beyond 150 on Day 3, with Shubman Gill key to building a match-winning total. Siraj and Prasidh will look to maintain their intensity to restrict England’s second innings.
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England’s Plan: Root and Brook must anchor the second innings to erase the deficit and set a competitive target. Atkinson and Tongue need to strike early to limit India’s lead, though Woakes’ absence weakens their attack.
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Pitch and Weather: The seam-friendly pitch may start to offer spin as cracks develop, potentially aiding Jadeja or Bethell. Showers are forecast for the afternoon, which could disrupt play.
