England faces an Oval-record chase to overcome India after Jaiswal's century sets a tough target.
In an exciting turn of events at The Oval, India has taken a commanding lead in the fifth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, thanks in large part to a remarkable performance by Shubman Gill.
Gill Makes His Mark
Gill, stepping into the role of India captain for the first time, made a stunning debut with the bat. He scored an impressive 754 runs across the series, averaging a phenomenal 75 with four centuries to his name. His latest innings at The Oval saw him score 118 runs, just 31 runs shy of breaking Sunil Gavaskar's record for the most runs by an Indian cricketer in a Test series.
India's Steady Start and Strong Finish
Resuming on 75-2 after holding England to a first-innings total of 247, Gill and Dhruv Jurel provided a steady start to India's innings. At tea, they were 26 not out and 25 not out respectively, setting the stage for a potentially record-breaking fourth innings.
England's Record in Sight
The record for the most runs successfully chased to win in the fourth innings of a Test match at The Oval stands at 263 runs, a record held by England since 1902. In August 2025, England aimed to break this record by chasing 374 runs set by India. A successful chase would have surpassed the 1902 record, but England faced several challenges, including six dropped catches in India's innings.
Key Contributions and Setbacks
Akash Deep and Yashasvi Jaiswal made significant contributions to India's total. Deep, in his maiden Test fifty, scored 66 runs, while Jaiswal scored a brilliant 118 runs, including a 127-ball century with 12 fours and 2 sixes. However, both batsmen were dismissed before the end of the day's play, with Deep caught by Zak Crawley and Jaiswal bowled by Atkinson.
England's Injury Woes
England's chances of chasing down India's total were further complicated by an injury to Chris Woakes, an English bowler who is now a doubt for the rest of the match.
As the sun sets on the third day at The Oval, India finds itself in a strong position, leading by 281 runs with four wickets in hand. The stage is set for an exciting conclusion to this historic Test match.
In the fourth innings, Captain Gill, replicating his previous performance, aims to surpass Sunil Gavaskar's record with his index of runs for India, currently sitting at 118. Meanwhile, the England team faces the challenge of breaking their own record of 263 runs successfully chased at The Oval, set in 1902, as they aim to chase 374 runs during the fourth innings, a task complicated by six dropped catches and the potential absence of Chris Woakes due to an injury.
