Follow UsAt 301/3, it felt like England were cruising to their third 370+ run chase, and the second of the ongoing Test series, on August 3 at The Oval in the fifth Test (Sunday). But over the next two hours, and in the first session on day five, India completely transformed the scenario to steal a famous six-run win to level the series 2-2.
Everyone knows Mohammed Siraj’s display in the clash, as the pacer picked up nine wickets across both innings. However, there are so many other underrated moments that shaped India’s win at The Oval.
What are the 3 Underrated Moments that shaped India’s Oval win?
At 129/1, England were cruising in their pursuit of 374, with Zak Crawley batting on 64 off 57 and Ollie Pope on 18 off 34 balls. It seemed like Crawley was heading towards yet another century against India, but that’s when Prasidh Krishna broke the most important partnership of the first innings.
Crawley offered a dolly to Ravindra Jadeja, as India found the opening they needed. Likewise, in the second innings too, Krishna’s stunning delivery got England’s best batter, Joe Root, after the latter had got to his three-figure mark in a stroke-filled fashion.
Erratic but most definitely, the game-changing dismissals.
When Akash Deep came out as a nightwatcher, the Bihar-born cricketer was only meant to survive the last passage of play on day two. But then the 28-year-old showed his batting prowess, smashing 66 in the second innings off 94 balls, his best-ever score in first-class cricket.
If that wasn’t enough, the Bengal pacer took India’s most important wicket in the second innings, dismissing game-changer Harry Brook, after he scored 111 off 98 deliveries, to deliver a sucker-punch.
You remember Akash Deep’s batting display? You most definitely remember Mohammed Siraj’s nine-wicket spell, but you don’t remember Washington Sundar’s cameo?
In the second innings, the all-rounder accelerated crazily as he smashed three sixes in five balls, and then got to his half-century off just 46 balls, with eight boundaries, after being on 17 off 27 deliveries at one point.
If not for his cameo, India wouldn’t have got 396 and set England a daunting target of 374.