England had moved to within 35 runs of securing a famous victory over India when bad light and torrential rain ended an extraordinary fourth day of the final Test at The Oval on Sunday.

Harry Brook and Joe Root shared a superb fourth-wicket partnership of 195 to put England on the brink of completing a record run chase that would have given them a 3-1 series win.

With India on the ropes, however, and England needing only another 73 runs, Brook played a wild stroke and skied a catch to depart for 111.

That gave India a chink of hope and they certainly made the most of it. Jacob Bethell also fell to a rash shot for five and Root, having completed a masterful 39th test century, nicked a catch to wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel off Prasidh Krishna to spark wild Indian celebrations.

In mounting tension, Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton struggled to get bat on ball, surviving several frenzied appeals before the umpires decided it was too dark to continue.

The players left the field and shortly afterwards, a heavy rain shower made conditions unplayable, depriving the crowd of a tense finale to a day of unremitting drama.

Gripping series

England will resume on 339-6 on Monday, with Chris Woakes unlikely to bat due to a broken shoulder, and India still in with a chance of a victory that would earn them a share of a gripping five-match series.

India had the better of the morning session after England resumed on 50-1, dismissing Ben Duckett for 54 and Ollie Pope for 27 to leave the hosts wobbling on 106-3.

Brook, on 19, was lucky to survive when Mohammed Siraj caught him in the deep before stepping back on to the boundary cushion.

The prolific right-hander made him pay a heavy price for the error, striking two sixes and 12 fours all round the ground to reach his 10th test century off 91 balls.

Root provided the perfect foil, continuing his consistent form throughout the series, as the Indian bowlers struggled to get much movement under grey skies.

Once past three figures, Brook launched an all-out attack, hitting Akash Deep for two fours in an over before attempting a third and Siraj completed the catch on this occasion.

Brook’s bat flew out of his hands as he played the stroke and he had to retrieve it before returning to the pavilion to a standing ovation from the crowd.

He probably believed he had done enough to ensure victory for his team, but India had other ideas.

The highest successful run chase at The Oval was England’s 263-9 against Australia in 1902.