London, September 10: Alastair Cook's final England innings ended when he was dismissed for 147 in the fifth and final Test against India at the Oval on Monday (September 10).
Cook edged debutant Hanuma Vihari to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant to bring his brilliant last knock for his country to a close. Just the previous ball, Vihari snapped the 259-run partnership with skipper Joe Root with the previous ball.
The India team subsequently gathered in the middle to applaud the left-hander as he walked back to the pavilion to a rapturous ovation from all sections of the ground.
Riding on Jos Buttler's 89 and Cook's 71, England posted a decent total of 332 in the first innings. The bowlers then reduced India to six for 160, before a late partnership with Hanuma Vihari (56) and Ravindra Jadeja (86 n.o) saw India fold for 292.
Live updates from Day 4:
And that's it! No run off that over by Moeen Ali. James Anderson and Stuart Broad get the early breakthroughs but India hang on to fight another day. India 58/3 (Rahul 46 batting, Rahane 10 batting), need 406 runs for a victory
Penultimate over of the day and Rahul gets two boundaries - one off the fine leg area and another one through the cover. India 54/3 (Rahul 46, Rahane 10)
India needed someone to put up their hands and say 'we can do this'. KL Rahul has that confidence in him now, at the fag end of the series, and keeps up the fight. India 48/3 (Rahul 37, Rahane 10) and need 416 runs more
KL Rahul fights off those initial nerves and settles down in the middle. Among the 27 runs he has got so far, five are from boundaries. India 37/3 (Rahul 27, Rahane 9) and need 427 runs more
Throughout this series, Virat Kohli has controlled himself from going for that outswinger. But after a tiring summer in England, Kohli repeats the 2014 mistake to be dismissed off the first ball. India 20/3 (Rahul 16, Rahane 3)
England lose a review. The hosts get carried away by the early wickets and go big for KL Rahul's dismissal. The replays show that the ball hit the pads and the delivery would go on to miss the wickets. India 8/3 (Rahul 7, Rahane 0)
Geez. What's happening? The Test might get over today if this continues. Virat Kohli gets a nick and is caught behind by Jonny Bairstow off Stuart Broad. India are 2/3 and need 462 to win.
2 down! Cheteshwar Pujara too is swindled by that tricky swinging delivery by James Anderson. He wants to use the DRS but the umpires say he took too long to signal the review.
And it begins. Shikhar Dhawan is caught lbw by James Anderson and goes for 1. India are 1/1 and have to survive for more than a day in this Test
Alastair Cook on Sept 10, 2018: scores 147 on final innings, stitches 259 runs with Joe Root, makes 12,472 runs in 161 Tests, crosses Kumar Sangakkar as the fifth highest rungetter, becomes the topscorer among openers and left-handers. PHEW!
England in 2nd innings: Alastair Cook 147, Joe Root 125 and the 259-run partnership between them taking them to an imposing total. India have to bat for more than a day and try to chase 464.
Brutal
Ravindra Jadeja conceded 258 runs in this match - the sixth most by an Indian bowler in a Test match and most by any Indian bowler in a Test in England.
— Star Sports (@Starsports_six) September 10, 2018
#ENGvIND
DECLARED at 423/8, which means England set India a target of 464. Alastair Cook 147, Joe Root 125; Hanuma Vihari 3/37, Ravindra Jadeja 3/179. Uphill task for India in this 5th Test.
Jadeja's last two overs: 2-0-0-2-4-4, 6-0-4-w-0-1. Joe Root has clearly asked his team to get as many runs as possible before the end of the day. England 417/7, lead by 457
Five Tests, 10 innings and only now a team has crossed 400 total. England are now 407/7 (Rashid 10, Curran 15) and their lead 447.
Ouch! Stokes welcomes Hanuma Vihari to international cricket, striking him on the helmet at short leg. Hope Vihari is okay. England 375/6 (Stokes 21, Curran 10), lead by 415
Back from tea, the ball seems to be turning a lot more than usual and it's going to be difficult for the English batsmen from now on. That said, Sam Curran and Ben Stokes have surprised India before. England 375/6 (Stokes 21, Curran 10), lead by 415
This also happened during the second session on Day 4:
Gentleman's game for a reason! 🤝🏻#ThankYouChef #CookRetires #KyaHogaIssBaar #ENGvIND #SPNSports pic.twitter.com/WvO7NgyutB
— SPN- Sports (@SPNSportsIndia) September 10, 2018
India this session - four wickets, conceded 121 runs. England this session - reach 364/6, extend lead to 404 runs
India finally gain the momentum and it's all thanks to this man, Hanuma Vihari.
A fifty with the bat and the wickets of Joe Root and Alastair Cook off consecutive deliveries, @Hanumavihari is having a ball in his first Test! 👌🏻#KyaHogaIssBaar #ENGvIND LIVE on SONY SIX and SONY TEN 3. #SPNSports pic.twitter.com/JyhIZN2sVv
— SPN- Sports (@SPNSportsIndia) September 10, 2018
By the way, that was Jadeja's first wicket this innings, coming in his 42nd over. Better late than never but Jadeja is lucky that the delivery is not adjudged a no-ball. England 356/6, lead by 396
And they all fall down? Bairstow is next to go as he gets an inside edge off an outswinger by Mohammed Shami. Next, Jos Buttler, who top-scored in the first innings with 89, departs for a duck. England 356/6, lead by 396
And they all fall down? Bairstow is next to go as he gets an inside edge off an outswinger by Mohammed Shami. England 356/5, lead by 396
And on his debut Test, Hanuma Vihari picks up the two most important wickets for India - those of Alastair Cook and Joe Root. What a day, right? England 334/4 (Bairstow 11, Stokes 2), lead by 374 runs
India have their breakthrough but let's take a moment to laud Alastair Cook, the highest run-getter among left-handers and openers.
A standing ovation for a special knock by a legendary player 🙌#ENGvIND #CookRetires #ThankYouChef pic.twitter.com/KE62rTRagT
— ICC (@ICC) September 10, 2018
#ThankYouChef: And it comes to an end. Alastair Cook follows Joe Root to the pavilion and those are two big wickets for Hanuma Vihari. Indians join the Oval crowd in saluting the former England captain, who's playing his last Test. England are 321/4 and lead by 361 runs
OH YESSSS! Joe Root's top edge off a slog-sweep shot is picked up by substitute fielder Hardik Pandya at deep midwicket. The captain goes for 125 off Hanuma Vihari, who gets his first Test wicket.
Joe Ruthless! 💪🏻#KyaHogaIssBaar #ENGvIND LIVE on SONY SIX and SONY TEN 3. #SPNSports pic.twitter.com/kL8BCFD1Po
— SPN- Sports (@SPNSportsIndia) September 10, 2018
Both these gentlemen - Alastair Cook and Joe Root - perfectly executed the sweep shot today. No fuss, no panic, just delightful to watch. Meanwhile, their partnership has reached 250 runs and England, at 314/2, have a lead of 354 runs
Also - 389 days. Before today, Joe Root scored his last century against West Indies on August 17, 2017, at Edgbaston. A long wait of 27 innings.
Fun fact - it's only the second time that Joe Root has managed a century in the second innings against any opponent. The last time this happened was way back in 2013 against Australia at Lord's, where he made 180.