IND vs ENG | ‘Past mistakes … ‘: Ex-India cricketer on Day 4 pressure battle | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar felt that a wicket was always around the corner in the third session on Day 4, as relentless pressure from the Indian seamers tested England’s batters in the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Rain and bad light meant play was halted multiple times at The Oval, setting up a dramatic finish on the final day on Monday.Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna bowled with intensity after Tea, triggering a late collapse. Prasidh picked up two crucial wickets in the session, dismissing Jacob Bethell for 5 and then removing centurion Joe Root for 105 in his next over.
“It just felt like a wicket could fall with every ball. Earlier in the middle session, nothing much seemed to be happening–but that’s what pressure does. The closer you get to the target, the more difficult the final few steps of the climb become. Your mind starts to wander–to what could happen, to past mistakes–and those mental games are often decisive in sport. India pushed England into that mental space, where suddenly, even the last few runs seem very hard to get,” JioHotstar expert Sanjay Bangar said.England ended the day at 339/6, still needing 35 more runs to win. Jamie Overton (0*) and Jamie Smith (2*) were at the crease, with uncertainty surrounding whether Chris Woakes, nursing a shoulder injury, will come out to bat.Earlier, centuries from Joe Root and Harry Brook put England on top, but India’s pace attack gave the visitors hope with a spirited comeback late in the day. India need four more wickets to level the series, while England are 35 runs away from sealing a 3-1 victory.Mohammed Siraj has now bowled 1,088 deliveries across the five Tests—more than any other player in the series—and is likely to add to that on the final day. He is also the highest wicket-taker in the series with 20 wickets to his name.
