August 3, 2025

In a thrilling clash at The Oval, India dominated Day 3 of the final Test against England, setting the hosts a challenging target of 374 runs for victory. By stumps, England managed to reach 50/1 after 13.5 overs, losing Zak Crawley to a sensational inswinging yorker from Mohammed Siraj just before the close of play.India's batting lineup showcased formidable performances with nightwatchman Akash Deep and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal shining brightly. Akash Deep scored a commendable 66, marking his first Test half-century, and shared a critical 107-run partnership with Jaiswal. The latter impressed with a spectacular 118 runs, his sixth Test century. Jaiswal's knock was particularly special as he played in front of his family and Rohit Sharma, the Indian white-ball captain. In addition to Jaiswal and Deep, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar chipped in with identical scores of 53 runs, bolstering India's second innings total to 396 runs.Josh Tongue was the standout bowler for England, claiming his first five-wicket haul with 5/125, complemented by contributions from Gus Atkinson and Jamie Overton. The English bowling attack struggled without the injured Chris Woakes, and their fielding performance suffered, seeing six dropped catches including three missed opportunities off Jaiswal's bat.India built their innings carefully after resuming at 75/2, and their middle order lifted the momentum. However, England managed to pick up wickets at crucial moments, with Shubman Gill falling lbw to Atkinson in the second session, leaving him just 20 runs short of the Indian record for most runs in a Test series by a single player. Gill finished the series with 754 runs, the highest for an Indian captain in this format. While the Indian innings carried on, Crawley and Ben Duckett opened the batting for England, with Duckett reaching 34* before the day's end. However, the moment of the day arrived when Siraj broke through, sending back Crawley and leaving England with nine wickets to find. Facing history, England now must chase down a record total never achieved before at The Oval, the highest successful chase being 263 runs back in 1902. With two days left in the match and pressure mounting, the upcoming sessions promise to be extremely exciting for both sides. What unfolds on Day 4 will determine the fate of the series, with India in a commanding position but England looking to rewrite history.

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Tags: Ind vs eng, Test cricket, Cricket highlights, Anderson-tendulkar trophy, Yashasvi jaiswal, Mohammed siraj,