India sealed a dramatic six-run victory over England in a heart-stopping finale at The Oval, leveling a thrilling Test series 2-2 after five absorbing contests packed with high drama, standout performances, and no shortage of tension between the sides.
In a conclusion befitting the quality of the series, Mohammed Siraj (5-104) bowled Gus Atkinson to end England’s valiant chase on 367, just seven runs short of their target of 374. The tension peaked in the final moments as Chris Woakes, nursing a dislocated left shoulder, walked out to bat at No. 11 with his arm in a sling—though he did not face a delivery.
England looked on course for a remarkable comeback, led by Harry Brook’s 111 and Joe Root’s 105, as the hosts recovered from 153-3 to 301-3. The pair added 195 for the fourth wicket, threatening to pull off their second improbable chase of the series after chasing 371 at Headingley in June.
However, India’s seamers rallied late on day four and again on the final morning. Siraj, who had dropped Brook on 19 a day earlier, made amends in style with two crucial strikes—removing Jamie Smith and trapping Jamie Overton lbw—before finishing the job with the final wicket.
With England down to their final wicket and 17 still needed, an injured Woakes emerged to a standing ovation. The allrounder had dislocated his shoulder while fielding on day one and may now miss the upcoming Ashes series, but still showed immense commitment to the cause by padding up, even if he never took strike.
Atkinson reduced the target to 11 with a six off Akash Deep but was bowled by Siraj moments later, sparking wild celebrations among the Indian players and fans.
The series was packed with individual brilliance and emotional flashpoints. India responded to a shaky start—losing the first Test at Headingley—by drawing level twice, ultimately holding their nerve in the final encounter. Their pace attack, particularly Siraj and Prasidh Krishna (4-126), stepped up on a placid fifth-day pitch, swinging momentum decisively.
India’s batting was anchored by Yashasvi Jaiswal’s century (118) and valuable lower-order runs from Akash Deep (66) and Washington Sundar (53) in their second innings of 396—which proved decisive in the final result.
Match Summary:
India:
1st Innings: 224 all out (Karun Nair 57; Atkinson 5-33)
2nd Innings: 396 all out (Jaiswal 118; Tongue 5-125)
England:
1st Innings: 247 all out (Crawley 64; Krishna 4-62)
2nd Innings: 367 all out (Brook 111, Root 105; Siraj 5-104)
After back-to-back series defeats to New Zealand and Australia, India’s ability to draw this series away from home will come as a major boost to under-pressure head coach Gautam Gambhir, whose altercation with the Oval groundsman ahead of the match made headlines for the wrong reasons. But the performance on the field, especially by India’s emerging core, has quieted critics for now.
With Shubman Gill (754 runs this series) leading from the front, and young stars like Jaiswal, Sundar, and Siraj stepping up, India can look ahead to their home series against the West Indies and South Africa with renewed confidence.
For England, the series leaves both optimism and concern ahead of their Ashes tour to Australia starting November 21. Despite flashes of brilliance—especially from Brook, Root, and Crawley—key questions remain, particularly around spin options and middle-order stability. And Woakes’ injury adds another layer of uncertainty.
The Oval defeat marked England’s fourth straight series-ending Test loss—following recent failures to close out series against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and New Zealand. But if the quality of this India series is anything to go by, the Ashes could be a classic in waiting.