ENG vs IND 2025, 5th Test Day 3 Review: India in driver’s seat after Yashasvi Jaiswal, Akash Deep heroics

Day three of India’s fifth and final Test match against England was a thrilling encounter at The Oval in London. While the Three Lions continued to fight, India dominated the proceedings and took command of the situation.

India began Day 3 at 75/2, having extended their lead to 52 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Akash Deep were the nighttime batters. England surprised everyone at the start of the day, bowling Jacob Bethell first. Deep took only three deliveries to knock the all-rounder for a boundary.

The Bengal seamer was cautious yet aggressive, but Yashasvi Jaiswal was eager to give him as many strikes as possible.

The duo frustrated the England bowlers, who worked hard for the most of the first session. Deep scored his first half-century in international cricket. He was eventually removed at lunchtime for a 94-ball 66, with 12 boundaries. Deep and Yashasvi combined for 107 runs off 150 balls.

Yashasvi went on to score a stunning century, despite Shubman Gill and Karun Nair leaving cheaply. Josh Tongue eventually dismissed the Mumbai hitter after he scored 118 off 164 balls, including 14 fours and two sixes.

Ravindra Jadeja and Dhruv Jurel contributed 50 runs from 72 deliveries. The former once again delivered an important effort with the bat, scoring 53 from 77 balls. Jurel also contributed well, with a 46-ball 34.

However, Washington Sundar stole the show at the bottom of the order with a 46-ball 53. He scored 39 runs off the last wicket with Prasidh Krishna, bringing India to 396. England were given a target of 374 in the fourth innings.

Openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley added a half-century stand for the second time in the Test match. While Crawley was watchful, Duckett took the attack to the Indian bowlers. However, in the last over of the day, Mohammed Siraj sent Crawley packing as England finished on 50.1 in 13.5 overs.

England need another 324 runs to win the fifth and final Test match. Meanwhile, India will be searching for nine wickets to level the series.