England Bowlers Dominate India 5th Test Decider at Oval

In the fifth and deciding Test at The Oval, England's recalled fast bowlers Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue played key roles in restricting India to 204-6 on the first day, putting England in a strong position. Atkinson, playing on his Surrey home ground, took two wickets for 31 runs and was instrumental in the run-out of Indian captain Shubman Gill, who was aiming to break Sunil Gavaskar’s record for most runs in a series by an Indian batsman. Tongue, despite some wayward deliveries, took two crucial wickets and bowled with impact. India, needing a win to level the series 2-2, struggled against England’s seam attack in overcast conditions, with several key batsmen dismissed cheaply. Karun Nair, returning to the Indian side, top-scored with an unbeaten 52, supported by Washington Sundar, who remained 19 not out. England, captained by Ollie Pope in place of the injured Ben Stokes, chose to bowl first and capitalized on helpful conditions to put pressure on the Indian batting lineup.