Bad light and rain forced stumps on the fourth day in the fifth Test between India and England at the Oval on Sunday. That means the five-match series for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy will end on Monday (August 4) – the 25th day. England were 339 for 6 at the time of the interruption, needing 35 runs to win the final Test and the five-match series. India, on the other hand, required just four wickets to win the Test and square the series 2-2, as Chris Woakes had already been ruled out of the match due to injury. However, Woakes was seen dressed up with his hand in a sling. Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton were batting at 2 and 0 respectively when the umpires checked the light meter and decided to halt proceedings. England reached 317-4 at tea on the fourth day as Harry Brook, who had some moments of luck, was dismissed for 111 shortly before the interval. His fourth-wicket partnership of 195 runs in 35 overs with Yorkshire teammate Joe Root shifted the momentum after England had been reduced to 106-3 following the loss of stand-in captain Ollie Pope. Root, the world’s top-ranked Test batsman, was unbeaten on 98 at tea. No team has ever chased more than England’s 263 runs in the fourth innings of a Test at the Oval, a record set in their one-wicket victory over Australia in 1902. However, aggressive batting has been a hallmark of England’s approach to Test cricket since captain Ben Stokes, who missed this match due to a shoulder injury, and coach Brendon McCullum took charge in 2022. England are now poised to end this series as they began it, having successfully chased 371 runs for a five-wicket win in the first Test at Headingley in June — the 10th highest successful fourth-innings run chase in Test history. Brook made an immediate impact upon his arrival at the crease on Sunday, hitting 27 runs in the space of eight balls at one point. The talented 26-year-old charged down the pitch to hit Akash Deep for an extraordinary six over cover despite heavy cloud cover in London favouring India’s quicks. He narrowly avoided being dismissed when he almost holed out to fine leg off Prasidh Krishna, but Mohammed Siraj inadvertently stepped onto the boundary rope, resulting in a six for Brook. India captain Shubman Gill delayed introducing spin until the 43rd over, with England at 190-2, when he brought on Washington Sundar. However, neither Sundar nor left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja had much impact against the well-set batsmen, who reached their century partnership in just 108 balls. India’s fielding grew increasingly ragged, with Brook reaching 98 when Deep misfielded a drive off Sundar at the boundary, conceding a four. Brook completed his century with a two to third man off the next ball, reaching 100 in 91 balls, including 12 fours and two sixes — his second century of the series. Brook’s innings ended spectacularly when, attempting another big hit off Deep, his bat flew out of his hands as the ball looped to mid-off where Siraj caught it. Root, however, continued to score steadily, hitting a straight-driven four off Siraj to move closer to his 39th Test hundred. England had resumed on Sunday at 50-1 after Siraj bowled Zak Crawley with the last ball of Saturday’s play. Ben Duckett, who was 34 not out overnight, fell for 54 after edging an intended drive off Krishna to KL Rahul at second slip, while Pope was dismissed lbw for 27 by Siraj. Brief Scores: India: 224 and 396 vs England: 247 and 339/6 in 76.2 overs (Ben Duckett 54, Joe Root 105, Harry Brook 111; Mohammed Siraj 2/95, Prasidh Krishna 3/109). (With inputs from Agencies)