Follow UsThe Anderson-Tendulkar Test series has reached its climax as India enter The Oval with a must-win mindset, as they have to win this Test in order to draw the Test series. England, on the other hand, would be looking for a thumping win against team India, sealing the series with a dominant 3-1 score line.
With the iconic Oval venue ready to host the final Test, here is a look into its behaviour in recent years.
The Oval is a regular Test host every English Summer. Five games have been played since 2021 at this venue, and there's a common thread: win the toss and opt to chase.
But the success rate is only 40% as only twice teams batting second managed to win the Test match. Expect the trend to continue as England, who have won all 4 tosses in this series, have chosen to field in three of those instances.
India have not had the best time at the Oval in recent years. They have lost four of their last five Tests here. But the last time they played England at this venue, they managed to beat them convincingly by 157 runs. \
It will be interesting to see whether Team India will have that same sort of confidence in the upcoming clash.
Spinners have had their best time at the Oval in the last three years as they have averaged 25, far better than any other venue in England.
With India already having two spinners in Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, there will be temptations of bringing in a third: Kuldeep Yadav. The left-arm wristspinner brings about an x-factor to the Indian bowling unit, which looked flat in Manchester.
Spinners have bowled better than pacers on Days 1 and 2 in the limited overs that they have bowled. Pacers come to party on Day 3 as they have the most wickets and averaged their best on this particular day. Day 4 has seen both pace and spin going for runs.
Shardul Thakur has had a great time batting at the Oval as he smashed match-winning twin fifties the last time he played England here in 2021 and another fifty in the 2023 WTC Final against Australia. KL Rahul's highest score in England was at the Oval in 2018 when he scored 149. Captain Shubman Gill failed in the only instance he played at this venue during the WTC 2023 Final - 13 and 18.
On the flipside, Joe Root, being Root, has a good record at the venue, where he averages 41.7, with six fifty-plus scores. But India need to beware of homeboy Ollie Pope, who averages a staggering 64.4 in six innings at the venue. From an English standpoint, they would want a much better performance from Brook, who averages 25.2 at the venue - not his best.
Indian bowlers have a good amount of experience playing at the Oval, as Jadeja, Bumrah, and Siraj have played two Tests or more. Ravindra Jadeja has found most success at The Oval compared to other venues in England. Jasprit Bumrah and Shardul Thakur have not had the best of times as they average above 30. Mohammed Siraj has been expensive and has failed to take wickets, averaging 45.7.
Despite The Oval being considered one of the 'flatter surfaces' in England, Jofra Archer has a stellar record at the venue, where he's picked up six wickets @21.3, including a five-wicket haul. More importantly, Woakes will continue to retain his place in the side despite an indifferent series, as he has picked up 26 wickets at the venue, the most for any active bowlers - India or England.
There is a strong chance that several parts of The Oval Test could be affected by rain. As per AccuWeather, there's a rain prediction on July 31 (Day One) of the Test, with a 90% chance of precipitation. Even on August 3 (Day Four), there's a 63% chance of rain.