Day 3 of the final Test in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 turned into a memorable chapter for Indian cricket, as the visitors posted a commanding 373-run lead by stumps. Led by gritty knocks from Yashasvi Jaiswal, nightwatchman Akash Deep, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar, India completely dominated the day’s proceedings, while England’s fielding woes continued to haunt them.
India’s Strong Start: Jaiswal and Akash Deep Shine Early
Resuming from the overnight score, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Akash Deep set the tone for the day with a resilient 107-run partnership off 150 deliveries. Benefiting from a few dropped chances by the English fielders, Akash Deep made history by becoming only the second Indian nightwatchman after Amit Mishra to score a half-century in Test cricket. His impressive 66 off 94 balls came to an end just before lunch, dismissed by Jamie Overton.
Shubman Gill Falls Short of Record, Karun and Jaiswal Build On
India captain Shubman Gill, in pursuit of Sunil Gavaskar’s record of most runs in a Test series by an Indian (774), managed only a few more runs before being trapped lbw by Gus Atkinson for 41. Gill ended 20 runs shy of Gavaskar’s mark, finishing with 754 runs in the series.
Karun Nair, the saviour of India’s first innings, contributed a short but vital 17-run spell, supporting Jaiswal who brought up his sixth Test century in style. Nair soon fell to Atkinson, who continued his dream spell with his seventh wicket in the match.
Jadeja, Sundar and Jurel Propel India Past 370
Ravindra Jadeja once again delivered with the bat, playing a crucial 53-run knock off 77 deliveries, helping him cross 500 runs in the series—a milestone achievement for the all-rounder. The finishing touches were provided by Dhruv Jurel’s cameo and a rapid-fire 53 off 46 balls by Washington Sundar, taking India’s total to a daunting 374.
England Begin Chase; Crawley Falls Late
In response, England’s opening pair Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett gave the hosts another solid start with a 50-run stand. However, on the final ball of the day, Mohammed Siraj struck a crucial blow by dismissing Crawley, ending the day with England at 50/1 and trailing by 324 runs.
Decider in Sight: India vs England Test Series on the Line
This marks the second time in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 that England have been set a target of over 370. Earlier in the series, the Three Lions pulled off a record-breaking chase of 371 in the opening Test at Leeds, winning by five wickets.
Now, with two full days remaining, England have 8 wickets in hand but are hampered by Chris Woakes’ injury. On the other hand, India, without their star trio Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah, have a golden opportunity to secure a historic series draw, their first in England since 2007.
Should England chase down the 374-run target, it would be the highest successful run chase at The Oval and would hand them a 3-1 series win under the leadership of Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum. Conversely, if India’s bowlers manage to defend the total, it would mark a monumental comeback and a fitting end to an epic series.