England stand-in skipper Ollie Pope refused the umpires’ offer to continue play with spin, resulting in stumps being called earlier than expected in a rare and intriguing moment late on Day 2 of the fifth Test at The Oval. As the light deteriorated, on-field umpire Kumar Dharmasena offered Pope the option to bowl spin to keep the game going, as is customary in fading conditions.
But Pope’s emphatic “No!” brought the curtains down on a gripping day of Test cricket.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Watch:With 15 wickets falling across three sessions, Friday’s play was already one of the most action-packed days of the series. India had been bowled out for 224 in the morning, adding just 20 runs for their final four wickets.England then launched a Bazball blitz, as openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett smashed 92 runs in just 77 balls, making the pitch look docile until Akash Deep broke through minutes before lunch.After England were bowled out for 247, taking a slim 23-run lead, India responded with calculated aggression. Yashasvi Jaiswal led the fightback with an unbeaten 51, showing class and intent in tough conditions. But after India reached 75/2 in just 18 overs, bad light threatened to halt play.
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In that moment, Dharmasena asked Pope if he would bowl spin to continue the game. Pope’s refusal, despite having options like Joe Root, surprised many, especially as England trailed slightly in momentum. His decision drew mixed reactions, with some calling it tactical, others questioning England’s approach in the final overs.As the players walked off, nightwatchman Akash Deep stood unbeaten with Jaiswal, and India led by 52. With three days remaining and momentum swinging, Pope’s call may yet become a turning point in this high-stakes series decider.
