India, Aug. 2 -- We have Test cricket and then we have a sensory overload like this. For a good hour or so, one had to pinch and check if India and England were playing the same format at the Kennington Oval. Deciding that there was no point respecting the conditions or India's bowling, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley plundered 92 runs in 12.5 overs at Bazball pace till Duckett was undone by his urge to improvise. That sparked a scintillating comeback as Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna combined, taking four wickets each after Akash Deep provided the first breakthrough.

A timely and quick fifty from Harry Brook helped England eke out a valuable 23-run lead that India shaved off in under five overs before adding more. It wasn't a phase with...