India vs England: The fifth test match of the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy 2025 nears the climax, where India and England are in a must-win situation to conclude the series on a high note. A win in the forthcoming test against England would help the Shubman Gill-led side draw the 5-match test series.
Contrarily, England needs a convincing win against India to triumph in the series with a 3-1 margin.
As the Kennington Oval in London is set to host the high-voltage final test of the series, let’s dive deeper to find out several intriguing and important stats over the past few years that help to determine the pitch behavior.
The Oval Pitch Report Ahead of ENG vs IND 5th Test 2025
A balanced pitch at the Kennington Oval offers equal advantage for batters and bowlers. However, spinners are likely to have a slight edge as the game progresses. The flat and even nature of the surface promises a feast for the batters, which makes their shot execution easier after the staring overs of an inning.
The Oval Test Toss Effect: Test Match Analysis Since 2021
Surprisingly, the toss-winning captains opted to bowl first in all five test matches played at The Oval since 2021. Out of which 3 matches were won by the teams that batted first, and the remaining 2 games by the chasing sides. Here is a detailed outcome of those tests at this venue:
| Year | Test | Test Match Winner | Winning Margin | Toss Winning Team (Bowling First Since 2021) |
| 2021 | England vs India 4th test | India | 157 Runs | England |
| 2022 | England vs South Africa 3rd Test | England | 9 wickets | England |
| 2023 | Australia vs India WTC 2023 Final | Australia | 209 Runs | India |
| 2023 | England vs Australia 5th Test | England | 49 runs | Australia |
| 2024 | England vs Sri Lanka 3rd Test | Sri Lanka | 8 Wickets | Sri Lanka |
Possibly, the toss-winning skipper of the fifth test in the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy 2025 would be keen to bat first and increase their chances of winning at The Oval.
Pace vs Spin Bowling Analysis in Tests Played in England Since 2022
The Kennington Oval in England has been the only favorable venue for spinners since 2022, holding the best average of 25, which is slightly better compared to the pacers.
Average in Tests: Pace vs Spin at Different Stadiums in England
| Stadium | Spinners and Pacers | Average (Since 2022) | Balls Per Dismissal |
| Kennington Oval | Spinners | 25.00 | 45 |
| Pacers | 29.20 | 50 | |
| Trent Bridge | Spinners | 35.20 | 55 |
| Pacers | 39.0 | 60 | |
| Lord’s | Spinners | 37.60 | 70 |
| Pacers | 26.0 | 50 | |
| Headingley | Spinners | 44.90 | 75 |
| Pacers | 31.0 | 55 | |
| Edgbaston | Spinners | 55.40 | 85 |
| Pacers | 32.2 | 55 | |
| Old Trafford | Spinners | 56.70 | 95 |
| Pacers | 29.0 | 50 |
Kennington Oval: The Best Venue For Spinners in Tests Played in England
Apart from the bowling average, spinners boast an impressive economy rate at The Oval out of just 12 innings played since 2022, and here are the noteworthy stats:
| Stadium | Spin Bowlers Performance (Since 2022) |
| Kennington Oval | 23 Wickets in 12 Innings (Overs: 157.2, Average: 25.0, Economy: 3.6) |
| Trent Bridge | 29 Wickets in 11 Innings (Overs: 239.4, Average: 35.20, Economy: 4.3) |
| Lord’s | 33 Wickets in 23 Innings (Overs: 369.3, Average: 37.60, Economy: 3.4) |
| Headingley | 20 Wickets in 12 Innings (Overs: 241.4, Average: 44.90, Economy: 3.7) |
| Old Trafford | 22 Wickets in 13 Innings (Overs: 388.1, Average: 56.70, Economy: 3.2) |
| Edgbaston | 26 Wickets in 16 Innings (Overs: 354.1, Average: 55.40, Economy: 4.1) |
English Batters and Bowlers’ Performance at The Oval
England batters like Joe Root, Ben Stokes, and Ollie Pope hold impressive records at The Oval. Additionally, Stokes boasts a remarkable bowling stats in tests at this venue along with Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer.
Top English Batters at The Oval (From the Current Test Squad):
| England Batter | Performance |
| Joe Root | 793 Runs in 20 Innings (Average: 41.7, 100s: 2, 50s: 4) |
| Ben Stokes | 344 Runs in 11 Innings (Average: 31.3, 100s: 1, 50s: 1) |
| Ollie Pope | 322 Runs in 6 Innings (Average: 31.3, 100s: 1, 50s: 2) |
Top English Wicket-Takers at The Oval (From the Current Test Squad):
| England Bowler | Performance |
| Chris Woakes | 26 Wickets in 13 Innings (Average: 25.2, Economy: 3.1, Overs Bowled: 212.0) |
| Ben Stokes | 12 Wickets in 6 Innings (Average: 30.5, Economy: 2.8, Overs Bowled: 165.0) |
| Jofra Archer | 6 Wickets in 2 Innings (Average: 21.3, Economy: 3.2, Overs Bowled: 39.5) |
Indian Batters and Bowlers’ Performance at The Oval
Indian bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj have decent records in tests at the Oval. However, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Shardul Thakur are the only three batters who scored 50+ at this venue.
Top Indian Batters at The Oval (From the Current Test Squad):
| England Batter | Performance |
| KL Rahul | 249 Runs in 4 Innings (Average: 62.3, 100s: 1, 50s: 0) |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 174 Runs in 6 Innings (Average: 42.0, 100s: 0, 50s: 1) |
| Shardul Thakur | 168 Runs in 4 Innings (Average: 34.8, 100s: 0, 50s: 3) |
Top Indian Wicket-Takers at The Oval (From the Current Test Squad):
| England Bowler | Performance |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 15 Wickets in 6 Innings (Average: 30.5, Economy: 2.8, Overs Bowled: 165.0) |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 7 Wickets in 4 Innings (Average: 34.0, Economy: 2.5, Overs Bowled: 96.0) |
| Mohammed Siraj | 6 Wickets in 4 Innings (Average: 45.7, Economy: 3.7, Overs Bowled: 74.3) |
Final Opinion: India vs England
Shockingly, India’s test record at the Oval has been disappointing, having won only 1 out of 5 test matches since 2010.
Compared to other venues in England, spinners had an upper hand at the Oval. So, India already has two spin-bowling all-rounders such as Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar; the inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI would be an added advantage.
The 30-year-old’s wrist spin techniques can certainly help to strengthen India’s bowling attack, which looked completely weaker in the Manchester test.
However, in the ongoing series, Indian batters have made noteworthy contributions so far. On the flip side, the visitors’ bowling performance has been substandard and needs to include a quality spinner like Kuldeep to avoid the threat of facing a loss in the forthcoming match.