England fight back but India lead grows

LONDON :England picked up three key wickets in the afternoon session as India advanced to 304-6 under murky skies at tea on the third day of a fluctuating final test at The Oval on Saturday.

India extended their lead to 281 runs and are still well placed to secure the victory they need to draw the series 2-2, but England fought back well after a disappointing morning.

The hosts removed Shubman Gill with the first ball after lunch, the India captain trapped lbw by Gus Atkinson for 11 and failing to get the decision overturned on review.

Karun Nair suffered a painful blow to his hand from the next delivery which spat up off the pitch, and suddenly England and the crowd were energised.

India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, however, continued his patient knock and moved calmly to his sixth test century and second of the series.

Harry Brook dropped Nair on 12 in the slips off Jamie Overton but the batsman had added only five more when he edged Atkinson to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.

Ben Duckett at leg slip spilled a very difficult chance to remove Jaiswal, England's sixth dropped catch in the innings, before the batter's long vigil ended on 118 when he slashed Josh Tongue to deep backward point and Overton held a good low catch.

Ravindra Jadeja, so often the scourge of England with the bat in the series, survived a huge lbw appeal after getting the umpire's decision overturned and reached the interval on 26 not out with Dhruv Jurel on 25.

India had dominated the morning as Jaiswal and nightwatchman Akash Deep shared a stubborn partnership of 107 against a toothless England attack missing the experience of Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer and Chris Woakes due to injury.

Under the floodlights, Deep reached his first test fifty off 70 balls by hitting