India set a formidable target of 374 runs for England in the fifth Test at The Oval, riding on Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 118 and Akash Deep’s gritty 66. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar also made significant contributions, scoring 53 each, while Dhruv Jurel chipped in with a 34-run innings.
Despite the daunting target, England pacer Josh Tongue said they are confident of chasing it down. Earlier in the series, England successfully chased down 374 against India at Leeds. However, unlike in the first Test, England are missing their captain and all-rounder Ben Stokes, and Chris Woakes, who was unable to bowl in India’s second innings due to a shoulder injury.
Playing the match effectively a player short due to Woakes’ inability to bat, Tongue – England’s highest wicket-taker in the series with 19 scalps in three Tests – said after stumps on Saturday, “It was always going to be a tough ask for us bowlers.”
“But we’re pretty chilled. Not overthinking the target. With the batting line-up we’ve got, there’s no reason why we can’t chase it,” he added.
Tongue also shed light on the changed nature of the pitch. After both teams struggled to score fluently in their first innings, Indian batters adapted to the conditions well on Day 3.
“There was a bit in it early on, but the heavy roller seemed to flatten it. Still, the odd one is jumping from length,” said Tongue.
The pacer also admitted his frustration with nightwatchman Akash Deep going after him. “He got a few runs. That hurt,” said Tongue. Akash Deep shared a century partnership in the morning session with Jaiswal. Washington then smashed a 46-ball 53, while Jadeja played a 77-ball 53-run knock. Jurel also batted well, scoring 34 off 46 balls.
At the end of the day, India managed to take the wicket of Zak Crawley just before stumps. With two days to go, the match is poised for a thrilling finish, with both teams eyeing a win. India are currently trailing the series 1-2.
Despite his strong performances against India, Tongue remained unsure of finding a place in the England team for the upcoming winter Ashes series in Australia. “Not thinking ahead right now,” he said.