India clinches a nail-biting victory at The Oval

On this day in 2021, India secured a convincing 157-run victory over England at The Oval, giving them a 2-1 lead in the five-match Test series. Despite initial predictions of a possible draw, India's dominant bowling display, spearheaded by the exceptional Jasprit Bumrah, proved too much for the English batsmen to handle.

The match began with England bowling India out for just 191, with England scoring 290 runs, giving the hosts 99-run lead. Chris Woakes, returning to the England side, picked four wickets. India’s fightback started in the second innings, anchored by opener Rohit Sharma, who played a match-defining knock of 127. This century laid the foundation for India’s second-innings total of 466, aided by the lower-order heroics of Shardul Thakur, who scored two critical fifties batting at No. 8 in both the innings.

On the final day, England began confidently at 100 without loss, chasing 368. However, the game took a dramatic turn after lunch, when Bumrah unleashed a devastating spell of reverse swing, removing Ollie Pope and Jonny Bairstow with sharp yorkers. His lethal spell cut through England’s middle order, ending their hopes of chasing the target. Umesh Yadav also played a significant role, taking three wickets​.

Besides Bumrah’s brilliance, Shardul Thakur was another standout performer. He not only contributed with vital runs with the bat but also took crucial wickets. Thakur's knack for delivering in key moments made a huge difference for India in both innings.

Despite a solid opening stand of 100 between Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed, England's batting order crumbled, losing all ten wickets for just 110 runs. This collapse highlighted the relentless pressure applied by India’s bowlers. Chris Woakes fought valiantly in the second innings for his 18 runs off 47 balls but couldn’t save England from defeat.