The day two of the fifth and final Test of the five-match series at the Oval showed some tremendous fight back from the Indian side.
India started from 174/6 with Hanuma Vihari and Ravindra Jadeja on the stage. Vihari continued impressing on his Test debut and brought up his maiden fifty in 104 balls with 6 fours and 1 six. He was finally dismissed for 56 by Ali, caught Bairstow after adding 77 runs with Jadeja. Ravindra Jadeja soldiered on and completed his own fifty in 113 balls and went on to remain unbeaten on 86 off 156 balls with 11 fours and 1 six.
The Indian tail didn’t wag much and India was bowled out for 292, 40 runs shy of the English total. However, thanks to Jadeja, the lead was manageable, if India picked early wickets.
Alastair Cook walked out to bat for the 291st and final time in his Test career and batted confidently. Jennings on the other end was looking to leave the ball, instead of playing and paid the price when Mohammad Shami brought one back to bowl him for 10. This ended a miserly series for Jennings where he scored 173 runs in 10 innings.
Moeen Ali looked good for his 20 before Jadeja pitched one in the rough outside off and clean him up. Cook (46*) and Root (29*) remained unbeaten at the end of the day with England leading by 154 runs.
BRIEF SCORES:
ENG 332 & 114/2 (A COOK 46*) and IND 292 (R JADEJA 86*; M ALI 2/50)
Day 3: England lead by 154 runs with 8 wickets remaining
