Oval Test: Rain forces stumps with England 339/6 against India
What's the story
A brilliant partnership of 195 runs between Harry Brook and Joe Root has put England in a commanding position to complete a historic run chase against India in the final Test at The Oval. England, the home side, needs 35 more runs to win the match and seal a 3-1 series victory. Brook scored a stellar 111 and perished just before tea. In the final session, Root got to his ton and fell for 105. England also lost Jacob Bethell to be 339/6.
Partnership details
Brook, Root put England on brink of victory
Brook, who was dropped on 19 when Mohammed Siraj caught him in the deep before stepping back onto the boundary cushion, smashed two sixes and 12 fours to complete his 10th Test century off just 91 balls. Root played a steady innings, complementing Brook's aggressive approach as Indian bowlers struggled to find movement under overcast conditions. The two were solid in their approach and kept the Indian bowlers at bay.
Aggression unleashed
Brook falls after aggressive approach post-century
After reaching his century, Brook went on the offensive, hitting Akash Deep for two boundaries in an over before going for a third with a reckless swing and giving away a catch to Siraj. His bat slipped out of his hands while playing the shot and he had to pick it up before walking off to a standing ovation from the crowd.
Lucky escape
Bethell, Root depart after tea
Just before tea, all-rounder Bethell survived a close call with a pull that fell just short of a fielder. Root also survived a huge lbw appeal off Siraj, with India unsuccessfully reviewing the not-out decision. After tea, Prasidh got Bethell in the 71st over with England reduced to 332/5. And then, the pacer also dismissed Root (105) with England placed at 337/6. Since then, England added only 2 runs before rain stopped play and forced stumps.
Information
India had England at 106/3
The Indian bowlers had the upper hand in the morning session after England resumed at 50/1, dismissing Ben Duckett for 54 and Ollie Pope for 27. England were reduced to 106/3 with Pope's dismissal.
Brook
10th Test century for Brook
Brook, who scored a half-century in the 2nd innings, managed 111 in the 4th. Brook ended up scoring 111 runs from just 98 balls. He hit 14 fours and 2 sixes. Playing his 30th Test, Brook has raced to 2,820 runs from 50 innings. His average reads 57.55. Brook smashed his 10th century in Tests. He also owns 13 fifties. In his debut series versus India, Brook clocked his 2nd ton (50s: 2). He finished with 481 runs at 53.44.
Root
Root hammers record-breaking 39th Test hundred
Root became the 4th-highest centurion in Test cricket. The Englishman, who equaled Kumar Sangakkara with his 38th ton in the 4th England vs India, Manchester Test, took his tally to 39. He is behind Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (45) and Ricky Ponting (41) in terms of centuries. Root also brought up his 24th century on home soil in addition to owning 33 fifties. He surpassed Mahela Jayawardene, Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis, who registered 23 hundreds each at home.
Stats
13,500 runs and 105th fifty-plus score for Root in Tests
Root managed 105 runs from 152 balls with the help of 14 fours. During the course of his knock, Root surpassed 13,500 runs in Tests (13,543). Root, came into this Test with 13,409 runs. He scored 29 in the first outing and then got to the milestone with his 62nd in the second. Root now owns 105 50-plus scores in Test cricket (100s: 39, 50s: 66).
Information
Root ends the series with 537 runs
Root also went past 500 runs in the 2025 Test series against India. Notably, he is the only Englishman to do so. He signed off with 537 runs at 67.12. In addition to three tons, he owns one fifty.
Duckett
16th Test fifty for Duckett
Duckett slammed a half-century in the 4th innings. The England opener, who resumed Day 4 on an unbeaten 34, added another 20 runs to his tally. Duckett's 54 was laced with 6 fours. He consumed 83 balls. The England opener owns 2,872 Test runs from 38 matches (70 innings) at 42.86. This was his 16th fifty (100s: 6). As per ESPNcricinfo, versus India, Duckett owns 823 runs at 37.40 from 12 Tests (22 innings).
Bowling
Prasidh leads the way with three scalps
Prasidh managed three wickets on Day 4. He dismissed Duckett in the 1st session. And then after tea, he picked two scalps. His figures at the end of the day read 3/109 from 22.2 overs. Mohammed Siraj picked one wicket on Day 4. He owns 2/95 from 26 overs. Akash Deep owns 1/85 from 20 overs, picking one scalp. Spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar bowled 4 overs each.
Twitter Post
India three wickets away!
All eyes on the final day of the final Test 🏟️
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 3, 2025
England 339/6, need 35 more runs to win#TeamIndia 4⃣ wickets away from victory
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/Tc2xpWNayE#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/ib6QgGqBnt