The final day of the fifth Test at the Oval began with the anticipation of a quick England victory and the start of celebrations. Little did they know that India will not go down without fighting.

KL Rahul (46*) and Ajinkya Rahane (18*) started day five with hopes of putting up a fightback and the duo did that with a partnership of 118 runs. Rahane on 37 top-edged a sweep off Ali to Jennings and then Vihari was bounced out by Ben Stokes for a duck in the second innings on his debut after a fifty in the first innings.

Rishabh Pant walked in to join KL Rahul on 121/5 and the duo slowly but surely build up a brilliant partnership of 204 runs which frustrated the England bowlers a lot. Rahul and Pant attacked in moderation and took the game into the final session. Their partnership also lighted a slight glimmer of hope that India might even win the match.

Rahul brought up his fifth century for India, after a gap of 20 months and Rishabh Pant became the first Indian wicketkeeper to score a century in England when he hit a six to bring up his first Test hundred. However, Adil Rashid bowling into the footmarks from around the wicket bowled KL Rahul with a beauty for 149 off 224 balls with 20 fours and 1 six. The ball pitched in a footmark and spun square to take Rahul’s off stump, ending a master class innings from the under-fire opener.

As they say that one wicket brings another, Rishabh Pant went to hit a six too many off Rashid and was out caught by Ali for 114 in 146 balls with 15 fours and 4 sixes.

Though Ravindra Jadeja and Ishant Sharma showed some restraint and valor, England bowlers finally found some excitement with the new ball, as Sam Curran removed both Sharma and Jadeja and when the last Indian wicket fell, England won yet another series against India at home, this time by 4-1.

James Anderson picked the last wicket to become the highest wicket taking fast bowler in Test history.

BRIEF SCORES:
ENG 332 & 423/8d and IND 292 & 345 (KL RAHUL 149, R PANT 114; J ANDERSON 3/45)
England won by 118 runs and clinched the 5-match Test series 4-1