The decisive 5th Test between India and England began on Thursday, July 31 at The Oval, London, with England opting to field first after rain delayed the toss. The home side, trailing the series 1–2, turned to swing-friendly conditions on a green pitch under damp, overcast skies.

England have made four changes, including the debut of Josh Tongue, Gus Atkinson, and Jamie Overton, while Ben Stokes is sidelined with a shoulder injury and Ollie Pope leads the team.

India also reshuffled their side: Jasprit Bumrah remains unavailable, likely replaced by Kuldeep Yadav, while Rishabh Pant is ruled out with a foot injury and Narayan Jagadeesan may take over wicketkeeping duties .

The London weather forecast warns of up to 4 hours of rain and possible thunderstorms around toss time, making conditions tough for uninterrupted play.

With India needing a win to level the series, the dramatic finale hinges not only on performance but on whether rain plays spoilsport once more.