LONDON – The second day of the fifth and final Test between India and England at The Oval is set to be a test of both skill and patience, as rain looms as a potential spoiler. After a rain-affected opening day where only 64 overs were bowled, India will resume their first innings at 204/6, with the hopes of posting a strong total resting on the shoulders of Karun Nair and Washington Sundar.
Nair, playing his first Test in eight years, was the standout performer for India on a challenging green-tinged pitch under overcast skies. He battled through a testing spell from England’s pace attack to score a resilient, unbeaten half-century (52*), his first in Test cricket since his triple century in 2016. He will be joined by Washington Sundar (19*), and the duo will be looking to build on their unbroken 51-run partnership.
While the weather is expected to be slightly clearer than on Day 1, the UK Met Office has predicted a high chance of rain between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. local time (5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. IST), which could disrupt the crucial middle session of the day’s play. Temperatures will hover around the 20°C mark, creating ideal conditions for swing and seam bowling.
On Day 1, England’s stand-in captain Ollie Pope, replacing the injured Ben Stokes, won the toss and elected to bowl. England’s pacers Gus Atkinson (2/31) and Josh Tongue (2/47) were the pick of the bowlers, putting India’s top order under immense pressure. Shubman Gill, who had surpassed Sunil Gavaskar’s record for the most runs by an Indian captain in a Test series, was unfortunately run out for 21.
With the series currently poised at 2-1 in England’s favor, a win for India in this final Test would see them level the series and share the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. As Day 2 begins, all eyes will be on Nair and Sundar to extend India’s total, but the outcome of the match may well be decided by the unpredictable London weather.