New Delhi: Struggle continued for Team India as they lost half of their side on the opening day of the fifth and final Test match against England at The Oval. While the hosts were three down at the close of the second session of play which got badly affected due to rain, the early minutes of the final session proved disastrous for them as they lost two wickets in quick succession.
In just a gap of four overs, English pacer Josh Tongue rattled the Indian team with wickets of Sai Sudharsan and Ravindra Jadeja. While Sudharsan departed after a patient 38-run knock, Jadeja was dismissed for just 9 runs. The southpaw, who played a pivotal role with the bat in the last Test match in Manchester, was one of the last hopes for India after they lost crucial wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul and skipper Shubman Gill.
On the third delivery of the 40th over being bowled by Tongue, the English pacer came up with an absolute ripper which left Jadeja stunned as the Indian all-rounder ended up offering an outside edge of his bat straight into the hands of the wicketkeeper. Utilising the overcast conditions and the rain-affected pitch, Tongue pitched the ball on the off stump which Jadeja decided to defend on the back foot.
The ball after being pitched drifted slightly away from the batter taking the outside edge of the bat straight into the hands of the keeper. This came as the fifth and biggest blow for the Indian team.
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A RIPPER FROM JOSH TONGUE..!!! 🥶 pic.twitter.com/BC3MAH4FB1
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 31, 2025
Earlier, India were invited to bat first after Shubman Gill lost the toss for the fifth consecutive time in the series. The visitors didn’t have the perfect start losing wickets at regular interval and failed to tackle the English bowlers in the series-deciding game.