After the end of the first innings, India had a decent lead of 95 runs. England in return put 303 on board, giving India a target of 208. India finished 52-1 on Day 4, going into the final day as favourites. The promised grandstand finish to the Trent Bridge Test never materialised as it rained all day in Nottingham to force a draw!
India entered day 5 with a lead of mere 154 runs with just 4 wickets in hand. India's lower order, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami had turned the pressure around on England so swiftly and clinically that the hosts, who were in control of the game coming into the last day, folded in the final hour as India went 1-0 up in the series!
It was supposed to be a big showdown, but for India, it turned out to be a shambles. They lost their last 8 wickets for 63 runs, and couldn't last till lunch. Scoring 78 and 278 in reply to England's massive 432, India went down by an innings and 76 runs!
India's task on the final day - take 10 wickets in 90 overs - was plain but hardly straightforward. Bumrah's devastating reverse-swing, Jadeja's miserly spell and crucial breakthroughs from Umesh and Shardul took India sealed a 157-run win that had seemed improbable for much of the fourth Test at The Oval.
Due to fears of a further increase in the number of COVID cases inside the camp, India were regrettably unable to field a team. This lead to the Manchester Test being postponed indefinitely! The series stays hanging at 2-1 to India.