India picked up a memorable draw in the 4th Test to take this Test series to the final stretch. Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, and Shubman Gill’s centuries in the 2nd innings helped India secure a hard-fought draw. India batted out an impressive 143 overs, a feat unheard of in modern cricket. The hosts still lead the series 2-1; India will look to level things at the Oval.
The Kennington Oval
The Kennington Oval, also known as The Oval, is a historic ground in England, rich in sporting history. It hosted England’s first-ever test match on home soil. A game that saw WG Grace score a historic century on his debut against Australia. The Oval is also known as the birthplace of The Ashes. Traditionally, The Oval hosts the last Test match of a series.
Pitch Report of The Oval
- The pitch is ideal for batsmen
- The highest scores on this pitch are England’s 903 and Australia’s 701.
- The team that wins the toss usually chooses to bat first.
- The pitch does not support fast bowlers.
- Spin bowlers can make batsmen struggle in the 3rd and 4th innings.
India’s Test Record at The Oval
India has played 17 matches at The Oval, coming up against England 16 of those times and once against Australia during the WTC 2023 final. The WTC 2023 final was a memorable loss after Travis Head’s heroics. India has won 2, lost 5, and drawn 9 matches against the hosts, England. India’s first victory at The Oval came during the 1971 tour, while the latest was during the 2021 tour.
| Venue | Matches Played | Matches Won | Matches Lost | Tied | Drawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Oval | 17 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 9 |
India’s Last Performance at The Oval Against England
The last test played at The Oval was a tremendous victory during India’s 2021 tour, with Virat Kohli captaining the team. The first innings for India was disappointing as the team only managed to put up 191 runs, despite half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Shardul Thakur. England miraculously recovered from 62/5 to post 290 runs.
India’s experienced players stepped up to close the hosts’ 99-run lead. A century from Rohit Sharma and half-centuries by Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant, and Thakur once again riled up the nation’s hopes. KL Rahul and Kohli also scored a respectable 46 and 44 runs, respectively, and set a target of 368 runs for England. A strong effort from India’s bowling line-up saw them only post 210 runs.
The 5th Test at The Oval
India is in search of a victory in the final Test to draw the series. However, the team is suffering from injuries. Rishabh Pant is ruled out, and Bumrah is not expected to start with workload management issues. Shubhman Gill will be looking to lead India to another historic victory over the hosts at The Oval and level the series.
Written by: Thillai Ritvik
