ENG vs IND, 5th Test: 5 Talking Points from India’s Outing on Day 3 of the Oval Decider

India took control on Day 3 of the Oval Decider, setting England a target of 374. England ended the day at 50/1, needing 324 more runs. With the series on the line, a thrilling finish awaits as both teams eye a win on the penultimate day.

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Key Highlights of India's Outing on Day 3 of Oval Test

Day 3 of the Oval Decider between England and India was quite eventful, as almost three sessions of the proceedings were dominated by the visitors with the bat in London on Saturday, August 2.

After bundling out India for 396, and were set a 374-run target to chase, England posted a total of 50/1 in 13.5 overs, with Ben Duckett batting on 34, while Zak Crawley was dismissed for 14 by Mohammed Siraj at the stroke of stumps. The hosts need 324 runs and the visitors require nine wickets to win the series finale, setting up an enthralling finish on Day 4 with all three results possible at the Oval.

On that note, let’s take a look at key takeaways from India’s Outing on Day 3 of the Oval Test:

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300+ target not chased in Tests at Oval

Any target of over 300 was not chased down in the Oval Test, with highest successful run-chase being 263 by England against Australia in 1902.

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1. Akash Deep’s crucial fifty as a nightwatchman

Akash Deep shone with the bat as he registered his maiden fifty of his career. Akash Deep resumed his batting on 4 after walking in to bat as a nightwatchman on Day 2, and played a gritty yet resilient innings of 66 off 94 balls, and formed a 107-run stand for the third wicket with Yashasvi Jaiswal to take Team India past the 150-run lead.

Akash Deep was cautious with his counter-attacking approach, and his performance with the bat, despite being a bowler, had left England bowlers stunned, as they were looking to make an early inroads in the opening session of Day 3, but failed. With his 66-run innings, the 28-year-old registered the second-highest individual score by an Indian nightwatchman in the 21st century. Deep’s valuable contribution with his willow had an overall impact on India’s batting.

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2. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s phenomenal century

Yashasvi Jaiswal has concluded his England Test tour with a century in the second innings of the Oval Decider. This was a quick redemption for Jaiswal after being dismissed for just 2 runs in the first innings. Resuming his batting on 52, the left-handed opener showed resilience and flair to frustrate England bowlers with his composed, attacking knock.

Jaiswal played a brilliant innings of 118 off 164 balls, including 14 fours and 2 sixes, and formed three crucial partnerships with Akash Deep (107 for the third wicket), Karun Nair (40 for the fifth wicket), and Ravindra Jadeja (44 for the sixth wicket). 

Yashasvi Jaiswal finished his maiden England Test tour with 411 runs, including 2 centuries and as many fifties, at an average of 41.10 in 10 innings.

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3. Ravindra Jadeja overtakes Gary Sobers’ record

The ongoing England Test series has been Ravindra Jadeja’s most prolific with the bat, as he scored his sixth fifty on the tour. Walking it to bat at 229/5, Jadeja played a steady innings of 53 off 77 balls, while forming a 44-run stand for the sixth wicket with Yashasvi Jaiswal, and then a 50-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Dhruv Jurel (34 off 46 balls).

Jadeja’s 34-run stand for the eighth wicket with Washington Sundar was far more crucial as it took Team India past the 350-run mark in the second innings. With six fifty-plus scores in the Test series against England, Ravindra Jadeja shattered the former West Indies all-round great Gary Sobers' record for the 50+ scores while batting at No.6 or lower in a single Test series.

Jadeja had a great series with the bat, amassing 516 runs, including 5 fifties and a century, at an average of 86 in 10 innings:

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4. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s ‘time-wasting’ tactics

Yashasvi Jaiswal sparked a debate over ‘time-wasting’ tactics, which mirrored England’s similar antics in the Lord’s Test. The incident took place in the final over of the first session, when Jaiswal walked up to skipper Shubman Gill with a complaint about his hamstring pain. Jaiswal was spotted clutching his hamstring in visible discomfort. However, the umpire asked to continue batting in the final over before lunch break.

England players were visibly angry at Jaiswal’s time-wasting act, as Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett exchanged a few words with the Indian opener while walking back to the dressing room. 

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting stated it was ‘unacceptable’ by Jaiswal for ‘time wasting’ tactics in the final over of the morning session.

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5. Washington Sundar’s valuable contribution

Washington Sundar delivered yet another impactful performance with the ball in the second innings. After the Manchester Test century, which was his international century, Sundar once again stepped up for the side when he was needed the most. In the first innings, he had a decent outing, scoring 26 off 55 balls and forming a 65-run stand for the seventh wicket with Karun Nair (57), which revived India’s batting from 153/6.

In the second innings, the 25-year-old made a vital contribution in the lower order as he played a brilliant innings of 53 off 46 balls, including 4 fours and as many sixes, at a strike rate of 115.22. After Ravindra Jadeja’s dismissal at 357/8, Sundar accelerated India’s innings and took the visitors near the 400-run mark before he was dismissed at 396/10. His crucial contribution helped India set a hefty target for England to chase.