What is India’s record at Kennington Oval, venue for fifth Test vs England?
The Indian batters demonstrated grit, patience, and determination to secure a draw in the fourth Test at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester. After India had lost two wickets without a single run on the board, Shubman Gill and KL Rahul stitched an outstanding 174-run unbeaten partnership to take the game into the final day. Top-notch work with the bat continued on day 5 as well, with England failing to bundle India out and winning the Test. That means the series is still 2-1 in favour of the hosts.
The fifth and final Test match begins on 31st July at the Kennington Oval in London. India’s record at this ground doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence. They have played 17 Tests here and have won two, lost six, and drawn nine games. Their first victory at this ground came on the 1971 tour. After the first two Tests were drawn, India beat England by four wickets in the third Test at Kennington Oval. Their second victory came in the 2021 tour. Shardul Thakur scored half-centuries across both innings in that Test, while the likes of KL Rahul and Pant hit fifties.
In the last six matches India played here, they have lost four. They have also played a Test here against Australia in the 2023 World Test Championship final.
What will be India’s playing XI for the fifth Test vs England?
Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the fifth Test match vs England due to a fractured toe. Thus, Dhruv Jurel is certain to replace him in India’s playing XI. Uncertainty still lingers around Jasprit Bumrah’s availability. He has played his quota of three Tests and bowled nearly 120 overs. There isn’t much time for Bumrah to recover as the fifth Test starts on Thursday.
Gautam Gambhir has confirmed that all fast bowlers are fit to play, which means Akash Deep is likely to return at the expense of Anshul Kamboj. The bigger question, however, remains whether Kuldeep Yadav will be included in the playing XI?
Shardul Thakur hasn’t been at his best in the series, but he was superb with both bat and ball the last time India played against England at this ground, scoring consecutive half-centuries and picking three wickets.
