Gargi Raut at The Oval
Day 3 of the final Test match against England had everything, from elegant centuries to roaring wickets, from drama to cinema. But at the end of the day, Akash Deep and Washington Sundar turned out to be India’s saviours. Their assault with the bat guided the team to a commanding position.
At the start of the day, realistically, all eyes were fixed on Yashasvi Jaiswal to get the job done for India. Akash, sent in as the nightwatchman at the fag end of day 3, wasn’t expected to last too long. But known more for his pace than batting, Akash surprised everyone with a gritty and composed maiden Test fifty. And it came at a moment when India needed a strong foundation to build on. He was confident in his strokeplay, and as Josh Tongue mentioned in the press conference, “it was frustrating seeing Akashdeep piling up the runs”. Akash offered resistance that no one ever thought was possible. And because of what he was able to do with the bat, the momentum soon shifted toward the visitors.
Once Akash fell, the baton was then picked up by Sundar. He walked in at number 7, and played with supreme confidence while batting with the tail. His well-crafted half-century came just when India needed to push their lead past the psychological barrier of 350, a mark that now looms large for England. Meanwhile, Sundar showed the perfect mixture of calmness and aggression under pressure and proved once again why he is considered a reliable lower-order batter.
With a fluent half-century of his own, Sundar expertly farmed the strike, rotated the scoreboard, and ensured India’s lead swelled beyond 350. Together, the duo added vital runs that demoralised the English attack and propelled India to a formidable total of 396.
Their unexpected resistance stood out on a day where top-order stars like Shubman Gill and Karun Nair couldn’t make it count. With the pressure mounting, the lower order stepped up, but at number three, a rare but welcome sight for Indian cricket fans. England’s bowlers, especially Josh Tongue, had begun to sniff a quick collapse. Akash and Sundar’s innings not only extended India’s innings but also drained the energy out of England’s charge. That resilience proved decisive as Siraj capitalised on the late pressure, producing a peach of a delivery to knock over Crawley and bring the day to a thrilling end.
As Day 4 approaches, India holds the edge. England require 324 runs with nine wickets remaining, but the shadows of Akash’s courage and Sundar’s composure loom large. In a match filled with big names and headline acts, it was the quiet determination of two unsung players that may ultimately define the series.
No one, not the crowd, not the commentators, not even the English bowlers, expected Akash to be anything more than a short-lived nightwatchman. Yet, his resilience at the crease told a different story.
For a fast bowler to produce a knock like that, under pressure, and away from home, was nothing short of remarkable. In many ways, it was a rescue act. India had already lost a few wickets, and another quick collapse would’ve put them in serious trouble. Similarly, Sundar’s innings came when the tail was exposed, and expectations were low. And that’s what made both him and Akash, the unexpected saviours of the day.
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