The opening session of Day 4 at The Oval on Sunday was a see-saw battle. England added 114 runs to their chase, but India struck twice, including the key wicket of a well-set Ben Duckett, who scored a half-century.
With the match evenly poised, India had a golden chance to tilt the game before lunch, but a fielding blunder by Mohammed Siraj proved costly.
It unfolded on the first ball of the 35th over in the final innings of the fifth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series. Prasidh Krishna banged in a short delivery, and Harry Brook top-edged a pull towards long leg. Krishna began to celebrate, convinced that the catch was routine. But to the shock of the Indian camp and fans watching worldwide, Siraj, who had his eyes locked on the ball, lost awareness of his position near the boundary.
Although he completed the catch, Siraj’s back foot had touched the rope, turning a potential breakthrough into a six. Horror struck him instantly. He buried his face in his palms and avoided eye contact with his teammates. Krishna was left stunned, his celebration abruptly cut short. In the Indian dressing room, head coach Gautam Gambhir was absolutely stunned at the sight.
Having survived a dismissal scare that would have sent England four down before lunch, Brook turned the pressure back on India with successive boundaries against Krishna in the same over.
As the players broke for lunch, Siraj walked up to Krishna and apologised for the mistake, with the two sharing a hug to put it behind them.
England were 164 for three at the end of the first session on Day 4, still needing 210 runs to reach the target of 374 that would give them a 3-1 series win.
Joe Root, the world’s top-ranked Test batter, was unbeaten on 23, while Harry Brook was on 38*, having struck four fours and two sixes.
England resumed on 50 for one under overcast London skies, with Ben Duckett racing to a quick fifty before falling in Prasidh Krishna’s first over of the day. Later, captain Ollie Pope was undone by a fine delivery from Mohammed Siraj that trapped him lbw.