Ind vs Eng: England Win Toss, Elect to Bowl First in Final Test

London witnessed a dramatic start to the fifth and final Test between England and India on Thursday as Ollie Pope, captaining in the absence of Ben Stokes, won the toss and elected to bowl first under overcast skies at the iconic Kennington Oval.

The decision comes on the back of India’s remarkable escape in Manchester, where Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar’s gritty centuries denied England a near-certain victory. Their defiance not only earned India a famous draw but also forced England to rethink their approach for the series finale.

England will be without the talismanic Ben Stokes, whose dual role as a dynamic batter and key bowler leaves a significant void. Pope now shoulders the responsibility of leading a side seeking redemption while also balancing the challenge of replacing Stokes’ all-round impact.

India, meanwhile, arrive with their own set of selection calls. Karun Nair returns to strengthen the middle order, replacing Shardul Thakur and adding depth to the batting line-up. However, the absence of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah leaves a question mark over their bowling attack, with his replacement yet to be tested in such a high-stakes encounter.

Playing XIs:

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (w), Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj.

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith (w), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue.

With the series finely poised, all eyes are on The Oval as two evenly matched sides lock horns one final time, each carrying both pressure and promise into what could be a classic finale.

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