Late Wickets Set Up Thrilling Final Day
A Test match that seemed to be heading towards a comfortable England victory was turned on its head by a dramatic late spell of bowling, setting up a nail-biting finish to the series. For most of the day, brilliant centuries from Harry Brook and Joe Root had put England in complete command of their chase. However, a late double-strike from Prasidh Krishna has left the match, and the series, tantalizingly poised.
England's Dominant Chase
Chasing a daunting target of 374, England's batters showed positive intent from the start. After losing two early wickets, the innings was steadied and then dominated by a magnificent partnership between Joe Root and Harry Brook. Brook played a stunning counter-attacking innings, smashing a 91-ball 111, while Root anchored the chase with a masterful 105. Their partnership took England to the brink of victory, leaving India's bowlers exhausted and seemingly out of ideas.
Dramatic Late Twist
Just as an England series win looked like a formality, the momentum shifted dramatically. With the old ball, Prasidh Krishna produced a burst of inspiration, dismissing Jacob Bethell and, crucially, the well-set Joe Root in the space of nine deliveries. This suddenly brought India right back into the contest.
Bad light and rain brought an early end to the day's play, leaving the match on a knife's edge. England now needs just 35 more runs to win, but they have only four wickets in hand. Their task is made even more difficult by the fact that one of those remaining batters, Chris Woakes, has a serious shoulder injury. India, on the other hand, will come out on the final morning needing to take those last few wickets to secure a famous series-levelling draw.
