It took England just 28 minutes to wrap up India's innings on the second day of the ongoing fifth Test at the Oval. Atkinson, who took a couple of wickets on the opening day, was the star of the show with the ball, taking three of the four wickets on the second day, taking his fourth five-wicket haul in Test cricket and the first outside Lord's. Atkinson has all his fifers at home in Tests and now has the most in the World Test Championship (WTC) for an England bowler, in England.
Atkinson left James Anderson behind, who has taken three five-wicket hauls at home in the WTC.
Most five-wicket hauls for England in WTC (in home matches)
4 - Gus Atkinson (13 innings)
3 - James Anderson, Ollie Robinson
2 - Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes, Jack Leach, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer
Atkinson last played for England a couple of months ago in the Zimbabwe Test and had injured his hamstring, ruling out his chances of featuring at the start of the India series. Atkinson was included in the squad ahead of the third Test at Lord's, but didn't feature in the next two games before it finally happened at the Oval, the liveliest pitch of the series, almost custom-made for the right-arm pacer.
Atkinson first dismissed the half-centurion Karun Nair, who was plumb in front and then also burned the review. Josh Tongue then sent back Washington Sundar and the leakage began. Atkinson then removed both Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna in the same over to finish the innings off, rather quickly.
India could add just 20 runs to their overnight score and even though there is assistance for the bowlers, the Indian bowling attack sans Jasprit Bumrah will be under pressure to replicate what the England bowlers were able to do.
