India vs England Test Match: Atkinson’s 5-Wicket haul crushes India at 224, England Dominates Fifth Test

Gus Atkinson’s fiery 5/33 spell bundled India for 224 after early collapses. England’s openers raced to 92/0 in 12 overs, seizing control. With the series on line, India’s bowlers face daunting task to stage comeback in decisive Test match.

New Delhi: The first day of the fifth and final Test match between India and England proved extremely disappointing for the Indian team. Batting first after losing the toss, India lost six wickets on the opening day and was bowled out for just 224 runs on the second day. England's fast bowler Gus Atkinson delivered a brilliant spell, claiming 5 wickets to demolish the Indian batting lineup.

Indian Batting Collapse

The Indian team made a poor start. Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed LBW after scoring just 2 runs off 9 balls. KL Rahul managed only 14 runs from 40 deliveries, while captain Shubman Gill was run out for 21 runs off 35 balls. Sai Sudarshan (38), Ravindra Jadeja (9), and Dhruv Jurel (19) also failed to make significant contributions.

On the second day, Karun Nair top-scored with 57 runs, supported by Washington Sundar's 26. However, the tailenders—Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna—were dismissed without scoring, ending India's first innings at a meager 224 runs.

England's Devastating Bowling

England's bowlers dismantled India's innings swiftly on the second morning, shattering any hopes of a competitive total. The collapse ignited in the day's third over when Josh Tongue's fiery delivery trapped Karun Nair (57) lbw, ending his gritty overnight resistance.

The situation worsened immediately as Washington Sundar gifted his wicket with an ill-advised pull straight to Jamie Overton. Gus Atkinson, making his Test comeback, spearheaded the demolition with Tongue, mopping up the tail in clinical fashion. Atkinson's devastating 5/33 spell left India's innings in tatters, underlining his lethal return to England's attack.

England's Rapid Start

England began their innings aggressively. England's opening batsmen  Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett have batted aggressively and have scored 51 runs in just 7 overs without losing a single wicket. Unless India's bowlers strike early, England could establish a commanding lead.

Series at Stake

This match represents a do-or-die situation for India. A defeat would mean losing the series, while even a draw would hand England the trophy. India's bowlers must produce something extraordinary tomorrow to keep their team in contention.

While India's batting completely misfired on Day 1, England seized the advantage. The onus now rests on India's bowlers to restrict England to a modest total and keep the match alive.