Joe Root: England in 'good position' as epic India series goes to final day with hosts needing 35 to win at The Oval
By Tom Masters
Published 03/08/2025 at 20:29 GMT+1
React to this story
Joe Root insists England are in a good position to get across the line in the fifth and decisive Test with India at The Oval. Root starred in a 195-run partnership with Harry Brook to give England the upper hand as they look to take the Test match and seal a 3-1 series win. A late flurry of wickets from India, paired with bad light and then a heavy shower, left England needing 35 on the final day.
England have 'sense of disappointment and almost heartbreak' - Stokes
Video credit: TNT Sports
Joe Root insisted England are in a "good position" to get across the line after rain halted play at a crunch moment in the fifth Test with India at The Oval.
Root and Harry Brook’s sublime 195-run partnership put England in touching distance of a phenomenal series victory before India and the weather set up a tense final morning of play.
Brook was caught by Mohammed Siraj on 19, only for the India bowler to step on the boundary rope as England’s white-ball captain went on to score a thrilling 98-ball 111.
Root scored a brilliant 105, in a partnership with Brook of 195 runs in 211 balls, which looked set to be enough for England to chase down 374, their second-highest chase and the highest at The Oval.
A late flurry of wickets which saw Brook, Root and Jacob Bethell removed either side of tea, and the umpires calling a halt to proceedings early, left England needing 35 runs or India requiring four wickets.
Root is adamant that England are the ones in the dominant position, believing there is plenty of batting still to come to get the job done.
He said: "We are in a good position, we have another heavy roller available. Things might happen quicker with the new ball.
"It might be easier to score. A lot of things are in our favour. We have so much ability left in the dressing room.
"Clearly they have had a good passage of play, but tomorrow could be a real good opportunity to get across the line."
Ollie Pope’s dismissal for 27 saw Brook come in with England still requiring in excess of 250 runs.
Having been given a second chance though, Brook and Root batted almost flawlessly and put the India bowlers under serious pressure.
Root complemented Brook’s batting to suit his own game, as Brook sought boundaries and Root chipped away with singles and twos.
"It is a long process, but you play it like a one-day game. The great thing is there is no scoreboard pressure of five or six runs an over," Root added.
- Chris Woakes ruled out of fifth Test against India with shoulder injury
- Remarkable 1/32,768 stat unpacked as India lose toss for 15th time in succession against England
"Me and Brooky have contrasting games which works really well for us. That is such an important part of it.
"The way he played, how destructive he was, putting bowlers under pressure can really upset the rhythm of the opposition and swung things massively in our favour.
"[Having] deep cover, deep mid-off three down chasing 370 is extraordinary really. That is the impact he can have and is a big reason we are where we are."
Having lost Zak Crawley to the last ball of the third evening, England began the day on 50-1, with Ben Duckett and Pope at the crease.
Duckett made it past 50 but was soon removed by Prasidh Krishna after he edged a fuller delivery to KL Rahul at second slip and Pope followed soon after when trapped LBW by Siraj.
Siraj then took a break and in the first over back on the field, the ball came his way off Brook’s bat when on 19.
He took the catch, but in doing so trod on the boundary rope, in an error that proved costly to the tune of 92 runs a few hours later.
From that point, it was the Root and Brook show, with their partnership exceeding 50, then 100, then 150 as India captain Shubman Gill began running out of ideas.
Eventually, Brook went for one big shot too many and was caught by Siraj, this time nowhere near the boundary rope, with England still requiring 73.
After tea, Root reached his 39th Test century, but was then caught behind after Bethell had also fallen and suddenly the 37 required felt rather daunting.
Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton survived the India onslaught before the weather took over, leaving the Test match and the series on a knife-edge going into the final morning.
Watch and stream top cricket action live on TNT Sports and discovery+
Related Topics
Advertisement
Advertisement