In a tense opening to the fifth and final Test of India’s tour of England 2025 at the iconic Kennington Oval in London, the hosts England won the toss and chose to bowl first on a seam-friendly pitch under cloudy skies. By stumps on Thursday, July 31, 2025, the visitors India had battled their way to 204-6 after 64 overs, with Karun Nair’s unbeaten 52 providing the backbone of a resilient fightback. This series-deciding encounter, running from July 31 to August 4, promises high drama as both teams vie for supremacy in the Pataudi Trophy.
England, aiming to capitalize on home conditions, unleashed a probing seam attack that had India reeling early. Debutant pacer Gus Atkinson made an immediate impact, dismissing opener Yashasvi Jaiswal lbw for 2 off just 9 balls in the third over, leaving India at 10-1. Jaiswal’s review couldn’t save him, as the ball-tracking showed it clipping the stumps.
KL Rahul, stepping up to open, partnered with Test debutant Sai Sudharsan in a cautious rebuild. However, Rahul was undone by Chris Woakes, bowled for 14 off 40 balls in the 15th over, with the score at 38-2. Sudharsan, displaying maturity beyond his years, anchored the innings with a patient 38 off 108 balls, laced with six fours, before edging Josh Tongue to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith in the 35th over.
Stand-in captain Shubman Gill brought flair to the middle order, smashing 21 off 35 balls with four boundaries, but his promising knock ended in a unfortunate run-out by Atkinson’s sharp throw from mid-on, reducing India to 83-3. Ravindra Jadeja, pushed up the order for his all-round prowess, added only 9 before nicking Tongue behind to Smith. Wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel contributed a gritty 19 off 40 balls but fell to Atkinson, caught at slip by Harry Brook, leaving India precarious at 153-6.
It was at this juncture that Karun Nair, the recalled middle-order specialist, stepped up with a composed unbeaten 52 off 98 deliveries, including seven fours. His innings was a masterclass in temperament, blending solid defense with timely aggression. Nair shared a brief 22-run stand with Jadeja, a 30-run partnership with Jurel, and an unbroken 51-run alliance with Washington Sundar (19 not out off 45 balls, with two fours). Sundar, the versatile all-rounder, played the perfect foil, helping India cross 200 and end the day on a positive note.
England’s bowlers shared the spoils, with Atkinson shining brightest at 2-31 from 19 overs, including seven maidens. Tongue claimed 2-47 in 13 overs, using his height to extract bounce effectively. Woakes chipped in with 1-46 from 14 overs, while Jamie Overton was expensive at 0-66 in 16 overs. Young spinner Jacob Bethell bowled a tidy two overs for 4 runs, offering a glimpse of England’s spin options.
Extras contributed a hefty 30 runs (4 byes, 6 leg byes, 16 wides, 4 no-balls), highlighting some waywardness in the English attack. With Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, and Mohammed Siraj yet to bat, India will look to add quick runs on Day 2 to reach a competitive total around 300. England, meanwhile, will aim to mop up the tail swiftly and build a substantial first-innings lead.
The day featured brief interruptions due to bad light, but the action remained riveting, underscoring the enduring appeal of Test cricket in English summers. As the series hangs in the balance, Day 2 at The Oval could well define the outcome of this enthralling tour. Stay tuned for more updates as the battle intensifies.
