With the fifth Test between India and England entering its penultimate day at The Oval, former India pacer-turned-commentator Varun Aaron believes India is ready for a comeback. With only four wickets between them and a series-tying chance, Aaron believes the momentum has shifted in India’s advantage.
England, chasing 374 runs, finished on 339/6 at stumps on Day 4. They only need 35 more runs, but India has the edge of a second new ball in just 3.4 overs, as well as the psychological advantage of a stunning recovery owing to excellent spells from Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj.
Joe Root and Harry Brook scored 195 runs for the fourth wicket, putting the hosts ahead. However, both were dismissed in the final session, with Brook going for 111 and Root for 105.
Varun Aaron praised India’s post-tea bowling as well as the Indian supporters’ enthusiasm at The Oval.
Talking about the fans, it really felt like I was watching the game at Wankhede. There were Ganpati chants, India chants—I couldn’t hear the English supporters at all. The Indian supporters are out in huge numbers, and I think it’s their energy that the Indian team is feeding off. Siraj and Prasidh bowled five high-intensity overs each after tea, and that effort resulted in two crucial wickets. Siraj was quite unlucky, as he has been throughout the day—he bowled unbelievably well.
So many of his deliveries hit the pad, but he just didn’t get the LBW calls. England now find themselves in a tough spot, and I genuinely feel this break is going to do India a world of good. The bowlers get to rest, stretch, have a massage, and get some treatment from the physios. They can come back fresh and give it everything again. This post-tea session has been brilliant—accurate bowling, smart captaincy by Shubman Gill who didn’t allow easy singles, and two very important wickets, he said on JioHotstar’s ‘Match Centre Live’.
Aaron praised Prasidh Krishna’s bowling and the breakthrough off Jacob Bethell, which broke England’s momentum and brought India back in the contest.
Bowling the right length was key because Jacob Bethell didn’t look comfortable at all. The way he stepped out was a clear sign of pressure. Prasidh wasn’t giving away easy singles, and I think Bethell’s approach disrupted England’s momentum. Until then, Harry Brook and Joe Root were rotating strike well and picking up boundaries. But the moment Bethell came in, it felt like a full stop in their innings. He couldn’t absorb the pressure—either trying to hit a four or just defending, with nothing in between. That dismissal—and more importantly, the quiet period leading up to it—brought India right back into the game, he added.
The former pacer believed that the short rain delay gave India a crucial advantage going into the final day.
Even a 10–15 minute extra break can do wonders for a team. It gave the players time to regroup in the dressing room, talk strategy, and recover physically. I’m sure the message in the room was clear—‘We’ve worked too hard over the past 60 days to let this game slip.’ This team has travelled all the way from India and dominated large parts of the series. A series draw is the least they deserve. A loss from this position would really hurt. But after that spirited bowling spell post-tea, I genuinely believe India are now in a position to win this match, Aaron concluded.
Felt like a wicket could fall every ball: Sanjay Bangar
Meanwhile, Sanjay Bangar also pointed out at the psychological upper hand India gained after picking a few wickets in the final session of Day 4 of the Oval Test.
It just felt like a wicket could fall every ball. Earlier in the middle session, nothing much seemed to be happening—but that’s what pressure does. The closer you get to the target, the more difficult the final few steps of the climb become. Your mind starts to wander—to what could happen, to past mistakes—and those mental games are often decisive in sport. India pushed England into that mental space, where suddenly, even the last few runs seem very hard to get, Bangar said.
Notably, India’s pace duo of Siraj (2/95) and Prasidh (3/109) will take the second new ball on Monday. England’s last recognised batter, Jamie Smith, is unbeaten on 2, with Jamie Overton and three tailenders, including the injured Chris Woakes are yet to come.
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