Stuart Broad Criticizes Umpires’ Decision to End Play Early in ENG vs. IND Test

Cricket fans are eagerly anticipating the conclusion of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test series between India and England at The Oval. Day 4 saw England attempting to chase a record 374-run target, but a resilient Indian team mounted a comeback in the final session, keeping the series alive. After collapses by Jacob Bethell and Joe Root, the momentum shifted dramatically in India’s favor. As Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton struggled, Indian bowlers increased pressure. The game was halted due to bad light and a subsequent rain shower. Although the sun reappeared soon after, umpires decided to end play for the day, drawing criticism. Former England pace bowler Stuart Broad called the decision to stop play “lazy,” arguing that the game should have continued given the improved conditions. The timing for resuming play, as per ICC guidelines, was 11:12 PM IST. The umpires, Ahsan Raza and Kumar Dharmasena, called stumps around 11:00 PM IST, shortly before the cut-off. With England needing 35 runs and India requiring four wickets, the final day promises an exciting contest. England has a slight advantage due to the possibility of using a heavy roller, but India remains very much in contention, with pacers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna ready to make a final push. Earlier, Joe Root and Harry Brook had put England in a strong position with a 195-run partnership.