England’s Josh Tongue was left frustrated by India’s Akashdeep, whose impressive performance on Day 3 of the fifth Test at The Oval significantly impacted the match. Akashdeep, who came in to bat on Day 2, delivered a fantastic innings, scoring 66 runs off 94 balls, including 12 boundaries. This performance altered the course of the match, frustrating the English bowlers. Akashdeep’s substantial batting not only added crucial runs to India’s score but also shifted the momentum. The English players anticipated a quick dismissal of Akashdeep, but he surprised them by building a significant 107-run partnership with the young Indian batter, Yashasvi Jaiswal. During the post-day press conference, Tongue shared the team’s frustration, and their strategy to get Akashdeep out quickly. He also highlighted the team’s focus on bowling their best ball consistently. Akashdeep’s maiden half-century in the Test format added him to an exclusive group, as he became the fourth Indian to score a Test fifty while batting at number four. Furthermore, he joined the ranks of only 12 players who have achieved a half-century and a ten-wicket haul on a single tour of England.
