England needed 290 runs and India needed 10 wickets at the start of Day 5 of the fourth Test and in the end, it’s Virat Kohli’s team that’s come out on top, winning the match by 157 runs.
India now take a 2-1 lead in the five match series, with just one more match to go.
The hosts' openers started this morning with 77 runs on the board, chasing 368 that India had set for them to win.
Following his exploits with the bat on Day 4, Shardul Thakur continued his celebrations as he picked up the first wicket of the day - Rory Burns out right after scoring his half-century. Thakur then also added to his tally the big wicket of English skipper Joe Root, out on 36.
Jadeja and Bumrah also picked up two wickets each while Umesh Yadav, playing his first match of the series, finished with three wickets.
Earlier in the day, England's openers started on the overnight score of 77/0 with Haseeb Hameed on 43 and Rory Burns on 31 after India had scored 466 in their second innings, riding on a century from Rohit Sharma and fifties by Pujara, Shardul Thakur and Rishabh Pant.
For Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed the task was pretty clear – thwart the Indian bowlers first up and keep England in the hunt for a win. The openers went about their business watchfully, making good use of the scoring chances as well.
The openers put on a century stand as Burns reached his half century with a couple through the covers. Right after, Shardul Thakur, bowling his first over, responded with an absolute peach which Burns edged to Rishabh Pant, giving India the much needed breakthrough in the first hour.
Dawid Malan and Hameed, both of whom were looking good though found it hard to get the scoring rate going. The duo put on 20 runs before a moment of miscommunication led to Malan's runout for 5 after a fine piece of fielding by Mayank Agarwal.
Hameed was joined by Joe Root with the score at 120/2 and about 20 minutes to go in the morning session. The team went for Lunch at 131/2.
The second session of the day belonged completely to the Indian bowlers as England lost six wickets. Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja picked two wickets each to reduce them to 147/6 from 141/2 within the space of 35 balls.
A brief 35-run partnership between Chris Woakes and Joe Root kept England alive before Shardul Thakur had the England captain playing on to the stumps.
Chris Woakes was dismissed at the stroke of tea by Umesh Yadav and England were 193/8.
Under an hour of the final session was needed by India as they wrapped up the tail - Craig Overton and James Anderson's wickets picked up by Umesh Yadav.
Umesh Yadav celebrate taking the wicket of England's Chris Woakes on day five of the fourth Test at The Oval.
(Photo: PTI)
The victory was through a remarkable turnaround for India as they had been bowled out for 191 in the first innings. But they managed to restrict England's first-innings lead to just 99 runs on a placid wicket.
Virat Kohli's men then ensured better batting in second innings. The top three batsmen shone and India, with contribution from middle and lower order took the total to 466 and set England a target of 368 to win.
It was too much for England to handle.
Shardul Thakur was the silent performer who made the difference as he hit fifties in both innings and picked three crucial wickets. The first innings half-century took India to 191 and the second innings fifty helped him stitch a 100-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Rishabh Pant and took the lead beyond 300.
Rohit Sharma scored his maiden overseas Test century in the second innings. Cheteshwar Pujara and skipper Virat Kohli chipped in with a fifty each.
Umesh Yadav, making a comeback, took six wickets while Jasprit Bumrah took four wickets in the game.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)