India Takes Charge on Day Three of Fifth Test Against England

London, England – India strengthened their position in the fifth Test against England on Day Three at The Oval, leading the match with a target of 374 runs. At the end of the day, England was at 50 for 1, needing 324 more runs to clinch victory.

Yashasvi Jaiswal highlighted the day with a remarkable century, scoring 118 runs off 164 balls. His innings laid a solid foundation for India, which posted a total of 396 in their second innings. Jaiswal spoke to BBC’s Test Match Special, expressing his satisfaction with the challenging conditions in England.

“I enjoyed both innings,” said Jaiswal. “I had to work hard in practice, constantly motivating myself. Every innings here is a challenge, and I’m pleased with how I played.”

Bowler Mohammed Siraj played a crucial role for India, taking several key wickets, including those of Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope. Former England captain Michael Vaughan praised Siraj, stating, “He is a team’s dream. His performance makes him a candidate for player of the series.”

England’s bowling attack performed admirably, too. Josh Tongue, who took five wickets, noted that despite some challenging conditions, the team showed resilience. “We got through the first hour, and if we can continue building partnerships, we have a chance,” he said.

Sir Alastair Cook and Deep Dasgupta, also analysts on Test Match Special, highlighted the impact of India’s bowlers and the need for England to be more aggressive, especially against India’s nightwatchman Akash Deep, who scored 66 runs.

The match returns on Sunday for Day Four, where England will look to dig deep and chase the target. Fans are anticipating what promises to be an exciting finish as play resumes at 10:30 BST.