Staff Reporter.
England need a further 291 runs on day five to complete their record Test chase of 368 and take a 2-1 series lead over India after making a steady start on the fourth evening at The Kia Oval.
Faced with what would be England’s highest successful chase in Test cricket, Haseeb Hameed and Rory Burns took the home side to 77-0 at the close on day four.
When England took three wickets for 16 runs in the morning session, including India captain Virat Kohli for 44, Joe Root’s side had the opportunity to minimise their target.
However, Shardul Thakur batted patiently for 60 and Rishabh Pant was similarly careful in his 50 as they shared a seventh-wicket partnership of 100.
On a placid pitch, the tourists were eventually bowled out for 466 in their second innings.
History is against England – only nine times in the history of the game have more runs been chased by any side to win a Test.
Yet, all four results will be possible on Monday morning, as a wonderful series that is level at 1-1 continues to deliver.
This Test has confounded expectations at every turn and another fluctuating day in perfect late-summer sunshine has set up a grandstand finale.
Realistically, India remain favourites, with England’s next-best hope being the draw. However, optimism inside the The Oval was raised by the way Hameed and Burns played on a pitch that only seems to be getting better for batting.
England also have the inspiration of Ben Stokes’ Headingley heroics fresh in the memory.
For context, their target in 2019 was 359, which they reached in 125.4 overs. Here they need more runs in what is likely to be fewer overs.
India, and particularly captain Kohli, will be under pressure to close out the win, especially after again omitting masterful off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
The Oval is sold out for the final day. The match is deliciously poised. It could turn out to be a classic.