Fifth Test vs England: Bangar and Aaron Break Down Dismissals of Jaiswal and Rahul, Analyze India’s Start at The Oval
India’s top-order struggles continued in the ongoing fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series at The Oval, as openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul were dismissed early, drawing expert analysis from former cricketers Sanjay Bangar and Varun Aaron.
India reached 72/2 in 23 overs before rain forced an early end to the first session. While the score may look decent on paper, the manner of dismissals raised technical concerns among experts.
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s LBW: A Technical Flaw, Says Bangar
Jaiswal, who began the series in emphatic fashion with a century at Headingley, was dismissed for just 2 runs, trapped LBW by a full-length wobble-seam delivery from Gus Atkinson.
Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar analyzed the dismissal during his commentary on JioHotstar, stating that the young left-hander fell victim to a common error against bowlers coming around the wicket.
“Generally, the sense is that when bowlers come around the wicket, batters tend to cover their stumps throughout. Now, the margin for error if you miss the ball is very, very small,” said Bangar.
“That’s why I belong to the school of thought that you can get up to the middle stump. But if you start from the off stump and constantly look to cover it, then if you miss a straight one, you have no chance at all. That’s exactly what happened with Jaiswal.”
Jaiswal’s failure to adjust footwork and anticipate the angle cost him dearly, highlighting the challenge young openers face on English pitches that offer seam and swing.
KL Rahul’s Chop-On: A Moment of Misjudgment
India’s second wicket of the day was KL Rahul, who looked composed for his 14 runs, but chopped on a delivery from Chris Woakes that came back slightly off the seam.
Former India fast bowler Varun Aaron, speaking on the same broadcast, praised Rahul’s technique up until the dismissal but noted the missed opportunity.
“It was an opening batter’s masterclass. He might have just scored 14 runs, but I was drooling over the way he was batting,” said Aaron.
“No matter what happened to the ball, he was just doing everything right—until that point. Rahul thought this particular delivery was a good opportunity to score. But it came back just a little bit and found his inside edge.”
Aaron emphasized the context of the dismissal—Rahul had already survived the most difficult part of the innings under overcast conditions and on a tricky wicket.
“He’d be very disappointed because that ball was not a ball he should have gotten out to,” he added.
England’s Missed Opportunity: Poor First Session Execution
While India lost two crucial wickets, Varun Aaron felt England missed an opportunity to make further inroads due to a sub-optimal bowling strategy in the opening session.
“England could have bowled a lot better. Even someone like Chris Woakes was not attacking the stumps too much or bringing that perfect length into play,” Aaron observed.
He highlighted that on a pitch like The Oval, where seam movement and swing are always in play, bowling fuller and closer to the stumps is essential.
“They were quite short; they did challenge the outside and inside edge. But from the back of a length on a wicket like this, you’re not going to get too many wickets.”
Aaron concluded by noting that while England may not be happy with just two wickets in the session, India would consider themselves in a "decent position" moving forward, especially with the middle order yet to bat.
What This Means for India
The dismissals of two of India's most experienced openers once again bring into focus the team’s vulnerability at the top order in testing conditions. Jaiswal’s early success has not translated into consistent runs, and KL Rahul’s inability to capitalize on starts remains a concern.
However, the platform built at 72/2 leaves room for India’s middle order, including Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant, to take control of the innings and push for a first-innings total that could dictate the flow of the match.
Final Thoughts from TheTrendingPeople.com
The fifth Test at The Oval has started on a knife’s edge, with early wickets balanced by India’s decent scoring rate and a rain-interrupted session. The technical insights offered by Sanjay Bangar and Varun Aaron not only decode the dismissals but also emphasize the fine margins of Test cricket at the highest level.
As the match progresses, India’s middle order must shoulder responsibility and translate this platform into a meaningful total. Meanwhile, England will look to rectify their bowling lengths and seize control in upcoming sessions.
The series may be drawing to a close, but the intensity is far from over.