In an edge-of-the-seat Day of Test cricket in which 15 wickets fell, India fought back to a needed but narrow 52-run lead at stumps on Day Two of the fifth and last Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at The Oval on Friday.
Yashasvi Jaiswal held together India's second innings with a smooth unbeaten 51, guiding the team to 75/2 in 18 overs before fading light compelled play to be brought to a close 15 minutes earlier than time.
The day had previously see-sawed as England claimed a marginal 23-run lead on the back of bowling India out for 224 in the morning, only to get themselves bowled out for 247 in the second session.
England had looked set to establish a humongous lead after their top two batsmen built a blistering 92-run alliance off only 12.4 overs, taking it to 109/1 at lunch. India struck back hard after lunch, inspired by Mohammed Siraj who employed incisive seam movement and toe-shattering yorkers to take 4/86 and become the highest wicket-taker in the series till date.
Prasidh Krishna supported him well, making the most of variable bounce and lateral movement to pick 4/62. Zak Crawley's 64 and Harry Brook's 53 were the positives for England, though their charge was slowed by three dropped catches – including a reprieve for Jaiswal, who went on to score his 13th Test half-century.
Earlier during the day, Karun Nair and Washington Sundar began promisingly, each scoring a boundary off Josh Tongue. Tongue though retaliated by cutting through Nair's defense with a ball that jagged back in and had him lbw for 57, the batter failing in his review of the decision.
Washington left in the following over, miscuing a pull off Gus Atkinson to deep square leg for 26. Atkinson then bowled clean Siraj with a fuller ball that beat him through the gate, before securing his debut five-wicket haul by coaxing an edge from Prasidh Krishna to keeper Jamie Smith. His 5/33 were more impressive given Chris Woakes had been knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury suffered on Day One.
England's response started with Ben Duckett and Crawley walking out aggressively, taking width for granted. Crawley was particularly rampant, flipping, punching, and slashing Siraj for three boundaries, while Duckett contemptuously sent Akash Deep over the ropes just after surviving an lbw alarm.
The Indian attack was soon bereft of discipline, which enabled the openers to score at a rapid rate. Duckett's extravagance, though, came at a cost when he gloved an attempted reverse scoop by Akash Deep to Dhruv Jurel behind the stumps in the 13th over.
Crawley went on smoothly, reaching his third score of fifty of the series off 42 deliveries, while Ollie Pope delivered a couple of sweet drives to end a morning session dominated by hosts.
After lunch, though, saw India wrest back control through a much more compact bowling performance. Crawley fought to time the ball and ended up top-edging a pull from Prasidh to mid-wicket, walking back for 64. Four overs down the line, Siraj made one jag back into Pope, getting him lbw for 22. India successfully overturned the decision, with replays confirming that the ball would hit middle and leg.
Brook and Joe Root tried to recover, putting on five boundaries in a short 33-run partnership. But Siraj came back to lbw out Root off a similar nip-backer – England's unsuccessful review merely sealing the inevitable. The pacer struck again, having Jacob Bethell lbw for six off a screaming inswinging yorker.
Prasidh contributed by having Jamie Smith, caught at second slip by Rahul, before trapping Jamie Overton lbw for a duck just before tea – a session that went strongly India's way.
Towards the last session, Atkinson drove Siraj and Prasidh for boundaries, but was attempting a pull when he was caught out for a simple catch by mid-on and gave Prasidh his fourth wicket.
Brook played some enticing shots, such as a sweep for six off Siraj in Rishabh Pant-esque style, before play was interrupted by rain for 40 minutes. On the restart, he reached his 13th Test half-century off 57 balls. However, Siraj got the last laugh when Brook attempted to flick a ball but had his stumps rattled. With Woakes not being available to bat, England's innings came to an end for 247 – their lowest so far in the series.
India's second innings was one where Jaiswal quickly came into his own, cutting and driving with conviction. He took five boundaries from the bowling of Atkinson, four among them, and there was a bit of fortune on the way – first when Harry Brook put down a simple chance at second slip on 20, and then substitute Liam Dawson dropped him on 40 at long leg.
Jaiswal made the most of it, hoisting Overton for six and scoring his half-century with an upper-cut six off Atkinson. In the opposite direction, KL Rahul was dismissed by Josh Tongue, edging to Joe Root at first slip for a snatched, low catch.
Sudharsan also endured a missed opportunity by Crawley on seven but couldn't make the most of it. Atkinson's wobble seam ball got him lbw for 11 with 20 minutes remaining in the day. A review was not beneficial, with replays insisting it was striking the stumps.
Jaiswal and nightwatchman Akash Deep saw out the remaining overs without any more casualties, leaving the stage set for a potentially exciting third day in this closely contested Test.
Brief Scores:
India: 224 & 75/2 in 18 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 51*; Josh Tongue 1/25)
England: 247 in 51.2 overs (Zak Crawley 64, Harry Brook 53; Prasidh Krishna 4/62, Mohammed Siraj 4/86)
India ahead by: 52 runs
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