Siraj strikes as India fight back in England finale | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

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AFP | London

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Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna spearheaded India's spirited comeback in the fifth and final Test at The Oval yesterday, as the visitors clawed their way back into contention.

England looked dominant at 129-1 in reply to India's first-innings total of 224 all out, appearing poised for a commanding lead. But the momentum shifted dramatically by tea on Day 2, with England stumbling to 215-7, thanks to a disciplined spell by the Indian pacers.

Siraj, who has been a constant presence throughout the demanding series, returned figures of 3-66 in 12 overs. Krishna, playing a crucial role in the absence of lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah, chipped in with 3-51 in 11.5 overs -- including two wickets in the final over of the session.

England's Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett launched a blistering start, adding 92 runs for the first wicket in just 13 overs. Their dominance came after England pacer Gus Atkinson impressed with a five-wicket haul on his return to Test cricket.

However, both openers were dismissed around the lunch break, triggering a collapse. Stand-in captain Ollie Pope -- leading in place of the injured Ben Stokes -- was trapped lbw by Siraj for 22.

India's bowlers were tested early in the day, especially without Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested for this match as part of a load management strategy to protect his recovering back. Bumrah, the world's top-ranked Test bowler, had only featured in three games of the five-match series.

Despite the early onslaught, India's counterattack gained momentum when Akash Deep removed Duckett for 43 with a sharp catch behind the stumps -- a moment that ignited further tension in what has already been a heated series.

India must win this match to level the series at 2-2.