India's Batting Collapse Shocks Fans as England Takes Control in Test Match

India's First Innings Concludes Early

On the second day of the fifth and final Test at the Oval in London, Team India's first innings came to an abrupt end within the first hour. Resuming at 204/6, Karun Nair and Washington Sundar were at the crease, having scored 52 and 19 respectively, and they managed to form a vital 51-run partnership for the seventh wicket, which helped stabilize the innings after a precarious position at 153/6.

The duo's efforts were crucial in reviving India's batting after a middle-order collapse on Day 1, which had been disrupted by rain. Many anticipated that they would build on their partnership and push India further into a strong position on Day 2.

However, the situation took a turn for the worse as India faced a sudden batting collapse, leaving fans at the Oval in disbelief.

Rapid Collapse on Day 2

After the promising partnership between Nair and Sundar, expectations were high for them to continue their momentum. Nair, having reached fifty, aimed for a century in his Test comeback, while Sundar sought to replicate his form from the previous match where he scored an unbeaten 101.

Unfortunately, the innings fell apart quickly. The pair added just 14 runs before Nair was dismissed by Josh Tongue for 57, ending their 65-run partnership. Sundar followed soon after, getting out for 26, and the tailenders failed to contribute significantly, leading to India being all out for 224 in 69.4 overs.

India's last four wickets fell for a mere 20 runs, marking the lowest first innings score in the ongoing Test series against England.

Fan Reactions to the Collapse

Fans had high hopes for Team India, particularly for Nair and Sundar, to extend their partnership and solidify the innings. However, their hopes were dashed as England wrapped up India's innings swiftly in the opening hour.

On social media, fans expressed their disappointment, criticizing the team's inability to build on their promising start and questioning the lower order's lack of contribution. Many voiced frustration over the recurring batting collapses throughout the series.

"If you just tuned in to watch India’s batting and are surprised to see England bat, here’s what happened 👇🏻🤯"

"India’s nine, ten, and jack don’t even pretend anymore when they come out to bat. Just come and go back :) why waste time of everyone by batting for long. How will it help? 😀"

England's Response

Following India's dismissal, England began their first innings with an aggressive approach, known as 'Bazball', led by openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley. They took on the Indian bowlers, including Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna.

With Jasprit Bumrah rested for this match, England capitalized on the opportunity. Duckett and Crawley formed a solid partnership until Akash Deep claimed the first wicket, dismissing Duckett for 43 at a score of 92/1.

By the end of the morning session, England had reached 109/1 after 16 overs, with Crawley and Ollie Pope at the crease, trailing by 115 runs.