India came out firing on Sunday, their close fielders noticeably more vocal than at any other point in the match and backing up their seamers. After Mohammed Siraj’s yorker accounted for Zak Crawley on the third evening, it was Prasidh who struck first on day four, having Ben Duckett caught at second slip for a characteristically punchy 54.

Siraj, the last fast bowler standing on either side, struck again before lunch to leave England reeling at 106 for 3. For the second time in the match – and third time in the series – he pinned Ollie Pope lbw with a nip-backer, as Pope’s head fell over to the off side; Pope’s 27 took his series aggregate to 304 runs at 34, tailing off ever since his first-innings hundred at Headingley.

But Siraj’s next involvement swung the pendulum back towards England. Brook, on 19, sensed his moment to counterattack, pulling Akash Deep for four then launching him over extra cover for six. He decided to take on Prasidh, too, only to pick out Siraj on the long-leg boundary. Siraj took the catch, then stepped right on the advertising toblerone as he regained his balance. Prasidh had already started to celebrate, and Siraj stood in utter disbelief after his error.

It gave Brook a life, and prompted him to double-down on his approach, cracking two more boundaries to take 16 runs off the over. By lunch, Brook had added 58 with Root in just 10.3 overs, and picked up from where he left off with a brace of boundaries off the unfortunate Prasidh.

When the field spread in a bid to stem the flow of runs, Brook and Root rotated the strike effortlessly. They targeted the spinners, forcing Shubman Gill to bring back his seamers, and India’s afternoon was encapsulated by the exhausted Akash Deep, who stuck out his boot to try and stop the ball only to divert it into the boundary, taking Brook to 98.

Brook punched the air and swiped his bat as he ran towards the dressing room, reaching three figures in only 91 balls. It was an audacious, adrenaline-fuelled effort, his first hundred in the fourth innings, and his tenth overall in only 50 Test innings. Brook has played other incredible innings – 317 in Multan, and 186 in Wellington – but the context made this one his best yet.

Brook’s dismissal was in keeping with the rest of his innings, his bat slipping out of his hands, and the ball skewing up to mid-off as he attempted to hit Akash Deep for a third consecutive boundary. But Root, after surviving an lbw review on 88, continued in his bubble to keep England in complete control, needing only 57 more to win at tea.

Root reached his hundred – his 39th – soon after, flicking effortlessly off his pads for two, and celebrated with an emotional tribute to his mentor Graham Thorpe. He pulled out and wore one of the white headbands that were sold at The Oval on Friday in a celebration of Thorpe’s life, raising over £150,000 for mental-health charities, and pointed to the skies in his memory.

But there was a late twist to come. Jacob Bethell had only faced 85 balls in competitive cricket between the start of this series and the fifth Test, and batted like a man short on rhythm. He played two scoring shots in 31 balls before charging down and inside-edging Prasidh on to his stumps; India hardly celebrated, knowing Root’s was the wicket they needed.

It came two overs later, and brought the Indian fans at The Oval back to life. Prasidh delivered again, finding a hint of seam movement with the old ball to have Root fiddling a catch behind. As the clouds rolled in, the scoring dried up completely: Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton added two runs between them in 20 balls, as Siraj charged in for a 22nd over of the day.

India appealed half-heartedly for caught behind late in the day, prompting an umpire review for bump ball, which lasted long enough for the light to have deteriorated. No sooner had the players gone on that the the skies opened, and a short downpour was deemed heavy enough to call stumps. With the series on the line, both teams must dig deep for one last session.

Brief scores:
England 247 and 339 for 6 in 76.2 overs (Harry Brook 111, Joe Root 105, Ben Duckett 54;  Prasidh Krishna 3-109, Mohammed Siraj 2-95) need 35 more runs to beat India 224 and 396

[Cricinfo]