London, Aug 2 (NationPress) Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting emphasized that India is targeting to push their lead beyond 350 runs against England in the ongoing fifth Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test. Achieving such a milestone could significantly increase the pressure on the fatigued English bowlers, who are relying on only three seamers.

As the players took tea, India had extended their lead to 281 runs, reaching a score of 304/6 after 71 overs, with Yashasvi Jaiswal contributing a solid 118 runs. Surpassing the 350-run mark would present England with the daunting task of becoming the first team in The Oval’s history to successfully chase a fourth-innings target exceeding 275 runs.

“It’s not safe yet. I think they're going to want 350 to be honest. The reason I'm saying that is, and one of the reasons that their scores are trending up, is the workload on the bowlers. England with only their three seamers,” commented Ponting during a Sky Sports broadcast.

When asked about the batting conditions, former England captain Michael Atherton pointed out, "India are ahead, but England will notice the scores trending upwards, indicating that conditions may be easing slightly."

“Nevertheless, we’ve seen some movement, and I don’t believe England has bowled well overall. Plus, they have missed several catches. They are still in the game, and while I wouldn’t rule them out chasing 300, if it goes beyond that number, it’s very much in India’s favor,” he added.

Atherton also praised Jaiswal, who scored his sixth Test century and his second ton in this series, benefitting from a few lives at 20, 40, and 110, thanks to England’s fielding errors.

“England dropped him a few times, and that’s something you want to avoid because he is extremely dangerous. Successful batters on this pitch have been those who play their shots, and he continues to demonstrate his skills at the end of this challenging five-match series, despite some recent declines in performance,” he concluded.