In a perfect advertisement for Test cricket, the Lord’s Test delivered a gripping spectacle, reaffirming why the format remains the pinnacle of the game. It had all the elements of a classic — drama, intensity, and raw emotion.
Mohammed Siraj, who was at the centre of last evening’s fiery exchanges, was down on his haunches, punching his bat into the turf, as England players rushed to console him. Shoaib Bashir, battling a fractured left hand, emerged heroically to claim the final wicket and seal a memorable 22-run win for the hosts.
At the other end, Ravindra Jadeja stood his ground in utter disbelief. The left-hander had done all the hard work to bail India out from a precarious 82/7, only to fall agonizingly short in the end. The result gave the hosts a 2-1 lead heading into the fourth Test, starting in Manchester on July 23.
Chasing 193, Jadeja kept India in the hunt throughout the day. The star all-rounder notched up his fourth successive Test half-century to drag the match into the final session. During his valiant unbeaten 61 off 181 deliveries, Jadeja guided India’s tail, taking the side within striking distance of the target.
Earlier, resuming the final session at 113/8, India lost Jasprit Bumrah after the star quick added 35 runs for the ninth wicket with Jadeja.
England skipper Ben Stokes, who was eventually named Player of the Match, ended that resistance — but that was the only moment of relief for the hosts in a tense second session, as Siraj and Jadeja extended the battle.
For England, skipper Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer took three wickets each, bowling 24 and 16 overs respectively, while Brydon Carse claimed two scalps. Chris Woakes and Shoaib Bashir picked up one wicket apiece, as England found a way through sheer relentlessness and unwavering patience — winning an incredible Test on the same day they had lifted the ODI World Cup at Lord’s exactly six years ago.
Both teams had posted identical first-innings totals of 387, while England were bowled out for 192 in their second innings.
On Day 5, England arrived needing six wickets and managed four before lunch in an inspired morning session. Captain Ben Stokes and the returning pace ace Jofra Archer turned up the heat, before Chris Woakes reduced India to 112/8 in their chase of 193.
With momentum already swinging late on Day 4 through three quick wickets, England made early inroads on Day 5 to take firm command. Archer struck first, sending Rishabh Pant’s off-stump flying after being hit to the boundary a couple of times. The fiery celebration that followed showed just how charged up England quickly was.
Stokes then trapped KL Rahul in front with a sharp nip-backer. Though the umpire initially turned down the appeal, England successfully reviewed it, with ball-tracking showing three reds. Archer struck again in the very next over, plucking a stunning low return catch to dismiss Washington Sundar for a duck.
India had lost three wickets for just 11 runs in four overs and were floundering at 82 for 7 when Nitish Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja came together in a last-ditch stand. The duo dug in under immense pressure, improving communication between the wickets after earlier mix-ups in the first innings. The deficit was chipped away slowly, even as India went through a stretch of 80 deliveries without a boundary.
As on previous days, tensions ran high with constant chatter from close-in fielders. One flashpoint came when Jadeja collided with Brydon Carse during a tight second run, leading to an exchange of words before Stokes stepped in to defuse the situation.
Reddy, impressive in defence, hung around for nearly an hour but fell just at the stroke of lunch when Woakes returned to nick him off for 13 — leaving England within touching distance of victory at the Home of Cricket.
Brief Scores
England: 387 and 192
India: 387 and 170 all out in 74.5 overs (Ravindra Jadeja 61\; KL Rahul 39; Ben Stokes 3/48, Jofra Archer 3/55)
Result: England won by 22 runs
Series: England lead 2-1