At the close of the third day of the fifth and final Test at The Oval, England faced a daunting chase of 374 runs against India, a target that would be the second-highest successful chase in their Test history if achieved. However, their task was made all the more difficult after a sloppy fielding performance that saw them drop six catches in India's second innings. These missed opportunities proved costly, allowing India to build a substantial total of 396 and put themselves in a commanding position.

Yashasvi Jaiswal capitalized significantly on England's generosity, scoring a brilliant 118 off 164 balls. He was dropped three times during his innings, on 20, 40, and 110, by Harry Brook, Liam Dawson and Ben Duckett respectively. Akash Deep also contributed a spirited 66, his maiden Test fifty, while Washington Sundar smashed a quickfire 53 off 46 balls, including four sixes. Ravindra Jadeja further chipped in with a valuable 43, adding to England's woes.

England's bowling attack, already hampered by the absence of Chris Woakes due to a shoulder injury, struggled to maintain consistency and discipline. While Josh Tongue impressed with a five-wicket haul (5-125), his efforts were undermined by the dropped catches and wayward deliveries from other bowlers. Gus Atkinson took 3-127 and Jamie Overton chipped in with two wickets.

India's innings was characterized by crucial partnerships that frustrated the English bowlers. Jaiswal and Akash Deep added 107 runs for the third wicket. Jadeja also stitched together middle-order stands with Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (34), and Washington Sundar. Sundar's aggressive innings, in particular, helped India accelerate the scoring rate and put further pressure on England.

England's chase began positively, with Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett putting on a half-century stand in quick time. However, Mohammed Siraj struck a crucial blow with the final ball of the day, dismissing Crawley for 14 with a sensational inswinging yorker. This late wicket swung the momentum further in India's favor, leaving England at 50-1 at stumps, still needing 324 runs to win.

The dropped catches were not the only fielding errors that hurt England. Zak Crawley dropped a regulation slip catch, and there were other instances of misfields and missed opportunities. These mistakes not only allowed Indian batsmen to score crucial runs but also deflated the morale of the English team.

England now face a monumental task on the fourth day. To win the match and secure the series, they would need to produce their second-highest Test run chase ever at The Oval. The highest successful fourth-innings chase at The Oval remains 263, achieved by England against Australia in 1902. The pitch is expected to deteriorate, with variable bounce and widening indentations posing a significant challenge to the batsmen.