India today begins the fifth and decisive Test at The Oval in London, seeking a victory to level the series 2‑2, trailing England 1‑2 after four tightly contested Tests. With England’s captain Ben Stokes sidelined by a shoulder injury, Ollie Pope steps in as skipper, and England has reshuffled their pace attack—bringing in Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, and Josh Tongue—while opting to play without a frontline spinner.
India faces selection dilemmas of its own. Bijli pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah remains uncertain for the match as board and medical staff weigh his workload. Captain Shubman Gill confirmed that a decision will be taken late, after assessing the pitch, which currently appears green. In the likely absence of Bumrah, Akash Deep or debutant Arshdeep Singh may be the replacement. Additionally, wrist‑spinner Kuldeep Yadav and Arshdeep have both been tipped for inclusion, strengthening India’s spin and pace balance.
India’s batting has been dominant throughout the series: Shubman Gill leads with 722 runs, closing in on Sunil Gavaskar’s Indian record for most runs in a series, while KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, and Ravindra Jadeja have also maintained impressive consistency at the crease. After saving the penultimate Test in Manchester thanks to big partnerships from Jadeja and Sundar, India enters this match with momentum and the belief that they can snatch a draw or better from England.
Weather remains a wildcard—with rain forecasted during the Test potentially interrupting play and affecting strategies from both camps. Unsold stands aren’t an issue: the Oval is sold out, as anticipation builds for what could be a dramatic finale to the Anderson‑Tendulkar Trophy.
