England need 35 to win astonishing final Test

Fifth Rothesay Test, The Kia Oval (day four of five)

India 224 (Nair 57, Atkinson 5-33, Tongue 3-57) & 396 (Jaiswal 118; Tongue 5-125)

England 247 (Crawley 64; Krishna 4-62, Siraj 4-86) & 339-6 (Brook 111, Root 105)

England need 35 runs to win; India need four wickets

Scorecard

England need 35 more runs with four wickets in hand to beat India in an astonishing final Test after a barely believable fourth day was halted by rain and bad light.

In scenes of incredible tension and in a raucous atmosphere at The Oval, England reached 339-6 in pursuit of a record-breaking 374 when the weather wiped out the final hour's play.

Sublime centuries from Harry Brook and Joe Root looked to have England coasting to their target, only for India's outstanding seamers to deliver a grandstand finale.

Brook, on 111, lost his bat in miscuing Akash Deep to mid-off, Jacob Bethell was bowled attempting a wild hack and a poking Root was caught behind for 105.

Jamie Overton joined Surrey team-mate Jamie Smith on their home ground with 37 required. Chris Woakes, not seen since the first day because of a suspected dislocated shoulder, prepared to bat.

Both Smith and Overton struggled to lay bat on ball as Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna summoned one final effort. The scoreboard barely moved.

Overton had just survived a review for caught behind off Krishna when the umpires decided the light was not sufficient, then the rain arrived.

It means this epic series will be concluded on Monday morning. Either England will win 3-1 or India will level at 2-2. The outcome is on a knife-edge.

After seven weeks of drama, needle and outstanding cricket, perhaps it is only fitting that this memorable series will decided on the last possible day.

Both sides might feel that this Test should already be won. That it is not is thanks to one of the most incredible days of sport you could ever wish to see, one that swung this way and that, then ended with neither side definitively holding an advantage.

England fans were alive during Root and Brook's counter-attacking partnership of 195, spectators rising to their feet with every passing milestone. The Yorkshiremen seemingly had England on course for their second-highest run chase of all time and the best by any team on this ground.

That India roared back says much about their spirit, the tireless effort of their seamers, and the energy they found from their wonderful supporters. On more than one occasion, the touring players looked to their fans, beating their chest and kissing the badge on their shirts.

If anything, the end of play probably favours England. Before the stoppage, it looked like India could take a wicket with every ball. Then again, a night's rest gives the visiting seamers the opportunity to return fresh on Monday morning, with a new ball just under four overs away.

There is also the prospect of the stricken Woakes coming out to bat with the Test and series on the line. What a finish.

From 50-1 overnight, Ben Duckett looked a key man for England, only to edge Krishna for 54. Ollie Pope came and went to leave England 106-3. India were on course.

But Brook had the audacity and skill to punch back. Root, who survived a tight lbw review from Krishna on three, is a maestro of guiding Test chases. They first halted India's momentum, then punished a weary attack in conditions better for batting than any other time in the match.

Brook had only eight from 18 balls, then sparked into life with a pulled four and lofted off-side six off Akash Deep. In the next over came a crucial chance, with Brook on 19. A top edge off Krishna, Siraj underneath it, time standing still. Siraj took the catch, then stood on the rope.

Brook regularly heaved through the on side, Root played trademark handsome drives. The crowd rose again for Brook's 91-ball century, reached with an edged from spinner Washington Sundar.

A dance at Deep caused Brook to lose his bat and his wicket, Root went to tea on 98. The players returned in sunshine and to another roar, matched when Root went to his 39th Test hundred. In a match dedicated to the life of his mentor Graham Thorpe, Root celebrated by pulling on one of Thorpe's trademark white headbands, and looked to the sky.

Bethell, short of cricket and his first home Test, was tortured for his five off 31 balls, eventually bowled trying a needless hack at Krishna.

Nerves suddenly seemed to affect Root, who survived another review from Krishna, before poking the same bowler behind. From nowhere, the game was alive.

Perhaps the abiding memory from this heart-stopping day will be the din made by India's fans during what turned out to be the final moments.

India left themselves a seamer short in this Test, so almost all of the bowling has had to be done by Siraj, Krishna and Deep. Quite how they found the will to put England under so much pressure is unknown, but they were undoubtedly driven by the belief of their supporters.

For so much of day four, the ball refused to move in the way it did across the first three days. The pitch looked flat bar some occasional low bounce. Out of nowhere after tea, Siraj and Krishna got the old ball talking.

Smith and Overton were on a hiding to nothing. Every delivery could have resulted in a wicket. The England batters either played and missed or were struck on the body. The seventh-wicket pair were together for 20 balls and added two runs, one of which was a leg bye.

The review for the catch behind off Overton was optimistic and gave umpire Kumar Dharmasena time to get twitchy about the light. A heavy shower arrived and it was decided the players would not be able to return before the cut-off of 18:42 BST.

The crowd booed and dispersed. The sun was shining before the scheduled close but, by then, everyone was recovering from what they had been through.