The fate of the fifth India vs England Test — and the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy — is on the line with England needing just 35 runs to win the game and secure the series by a 3-1 margin while India need four wickets to level the series at 2-2.
With both teams could win the final game from this stage, former India bowler Varun Aaron believes that India are now in a position to win Oval Test.
“Even a 10–15 minute extra break can do wonders for a team. It (the break on Sunday due to rain) gave the players time to regroup in the dressing room, talk strategy, and recover physically. I’m sure the message in the room was clear—‘We’ve worked too hard over the past 60 days to let this game slip.’ This team has travelled all the way from India and dominated large parts of the series. A series draw is the least they deserve. A loss from this position would really hurt. But after that spirited bowling spell post-tea, I genuinely believe India are now in a position to win this match,” Aaron said on JioHotstar.
Aaron also spoke at length about Prasidh Krishna’s impact, and said that the turning point in the game was created by the pacer’s pressure on Jacob Bethell.
“Bowling the right length was key because Jacob Bethell didn’t look comfortable at all. The way he stepped out was a clear sign of pressure. Prasidh wasn’t giving away easy singles, and I think Bethell’s approach disrupted England’s momentum. Until then, Harry Brook and Joe Root were rotating strike well and picking up boundaries. But the moment Bethell came in, it felt like a full stop in their innings. He couldn’t absorb the pressure—either trying to hit a four or just defending, with nothing in between. That dismissal—and more importantly, the quiet period leading up to it—brought India right back into the game,” Aaron said.
Aaron also praised the crowd at the Oval and praised the bowling intensity post-tea of Shubman Gill’s team.
“Talking about the fans, it really felt like I was watching the game at Wankhede. There were Ganpati chants, India chants—I couldn’t hear the English supporters at all. The Indian supporters are out in huge numbers, and I think it’s their energy that the Indian team is feeding off. Siraj and Prasidh bowled five high-intensity overs each after tea, and that effort resulted in two crucial wickets. Siraj was quite unlucky, as he has been throughout the day—he bowled unbelievably well. So many of his deliveries hit the pad, but he just didn’t get the LBW calls. England now find themselves in a tough spot, and I genuinely feel this break is going to do India a world of good. The bowlers get to rest, stretch, have a massage, and get some treatment from the physios. They can come back fresh and give it everything again. This post-tea session has been brilliant—accurate bowling, smart captaincy by Shubman Gill who didn’t allow easy singles, and two very important wickets,” Aaron said.
