Mohammed Siraj continued his fine form on Day 4 of the 5th Test at Kennington Oval, delivering a crucial blow to dismiss Ollie Pope lbw and leave England reeling at 106/3 in their second innings. England are chasing a target of 374, needing another 268 runs with seven wickets in hand.
The key moment came in the 28th over when Siraj, known for his deceptive seam movement, bowled a length delivery that jagged back sharply into Pope. The batter played outside the line, only to be beaten on the inside edge. The ball struck him on the kneeroll, in front of middle and off stump. DRS confirmed it was crashing into middle and leg, and Pope was sent back for 27 (34 balls, 5 fours).
England’s innings began steadily but quickly lost momentum after Zak Crawley (13.5 overs) and Ben Duckett (22.4 overs) departed. Joe Root remains unbeaten on 8, alongside Harry Brook yet to open his account. Prasidh Krishna took one wicket, while Siraj has already scalped two crucial wickets in his 11 overs.
India, having posted 224 and 396 in their two innings, are in a commanding position, applying pressure with tight lines and consistent swing. With 84 overs left in the day, England will need a massive effort from Root and Brook to keep their hopes alive.
Stay tuned for further updates.
