LONDON: India took the last four wickets in under an hour to bowl England out for 367 and win an astonishing final test by six runs to draw the series at The Oval on Monday.
Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj was India’s hero, dismissing Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton before bowling Gus Atkinson to end the match.
Chris Woakes had walked out to bat wearing a sling to protect his dislocated shoulder with 17 runs still needed, and Atkinson hit Siraj for six to give England hope.
Atkinson tried to protect Woakes from the strike but Siraj produced another brilliant yorker to earn India a dramatic win.
On the fifth day of the match, England resumed their second innings at 339/6 while chasing a target of 374, with Jamie Smith unbeaten on two and Jamie Overton yet to score. They needed 35 runs for victory on the final day.
However, when play resumed on day five, Indian bowlers dominated, making the required 35 runs seem like a mountain to climb for England.
The crucial partnership between Joe Root and Harry Brook also went in vain as the English side was bowled out for 367.
Brook played a spectacular knock of 111 runs off 98 balls, hitting two sixes and 14 fours, while Root added 105 from 152 deliveries with 12 boundaries.
Opening batter Ben Duckett also contributed 54, but apart from these innings, England’s batting lineup struggled as five players failed to reach double figures.
Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna starred with the ball for India, claiming five and four wickets respectively in the second innings.
India had earlier posted 396 runs in their second innings to set England a challenging target. Yashasvi Jaiswal anchored the innings with a superb 118, while Akash Deep scored 66.
All-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar chipped in with 53 runs each. Josh Tongue was the pick of the English bowlers, taking five wickets, while Gus Atkinson and Jamie Overton claimed three and two respectively.
In the first innings, India were dismissed for 224, with Karun Nair top-scoring with 57. Atkinson took five wickets for England, supported by Tongue with three and Chris Woakes with one.
England replied with 247 runs in their first innings, with Harry Brook scoring 53. Siraj was once again impressive for India, taking five wickets, while Krishna also claimed four, playing a key role in keeping England in check.
