Gill run out leaves India flailing in key final test against England

Straits Times

2 days ago

Cricket - International Test Match Series - Fifth Test - England v India - Kia Oval, London, Britain - July 31, 2025 India's Shubman Gill looks dejected as he walks after losing his wicket Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs
LONDON - The rain-hit first day of the final England-India test saw only six overs bowled between lunch and tea on Thursday but that was enough for visiting captain Shubman Gill to throw away his wicket with a crazy run-out to swing the series further in the home side's favour.
India, needing victory at The Oval to square the series, reached tea on 85-3, but with their two most prolific batsmen already out, and with England's seamers itching for another crack on a wet wicket having failed to take full advantage earlier on, the odds are stacking against the tourists.
The overcast morning conditions had looked ideal for England's all-seam attack, even without injured captain Ben Stokes or rested paceman Jofra Archer, but though they looked lively, the Indian batters were only occasionally troubled.
Recalled Gus Atkinson was England's sharpest bowler and he struck in the fifth over, trapping Yashasvi Jaiswal LBW as stand-in captain Ollie Pope finally got on the right side of a DRS review after 14 unsuccessful appeals last year.
KL Rahul, with over 500 runs to his name from the first four matches, looked relatively untroubled before playing-on while trying to cut Chris Woakes to depart for 14.
At 38-2, England and a packed Oval crowd sensed an opportunity but Sai Sudharsan, who had been initially very watchful, started to time the ball well as India reached lunch on 72-2 with Gill, averaging over 90 from his previous 722 runs in the series, also looking comfortable.
A heavy shower that caught out the ground staff created more difficult conditions for the tourists in a delayed afternoon session.
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However, it was not good bowling but great fielding - combined with suicidal running - that brought Gill's innings to an unexpectedly premature end for 21.
The captain, who had looked unmovable while notching four centuries in the previous four matches, inexplicably set off for a non-existent single and was run out by three yards as bowler Atkinson had time to transfer the ball to his right hand before throwing down the stumps.
Gill had started the day with all sorts of records in his sights but achieved only a couple as his tally of 743 took him beyond West Indies' Garfield Sobers (722 in 1966) as the highest-scoring visiting captain and also moved him into the top nine for the most runs scored in a series in England - either for or against the hosts.
Of more significance was the dismissal's potential impact on India's hopes of saving the series as the two men who had contributed more than 1,200 of their runs between them were back in the dressing room with only 83 on the board.
Gill's moment of madness seemed even more bizarre given the state of the game on Thursday when quick singles were the last thing India needed.
Another shower took the players off minutes later and tea was taken early with the covers still on. REUTERS