England clinched a gripping 22-run victory over India on a tense final day at Lord’s, seizing a 2-1 lead in the Test series after a dramatic contest that swung repeatedly.
The win was sealed when Shoaib Bashir bowled India’s last man, Mohammed Siraj, for four — Siraj attempting to defend, only to watch in disbelief as the ball trickled off his bat and into the stumps.
England’s players erupted in jubilation while Ravindra Jadeja, who had valiantly battled to an unbeaten 61, walked off crestfallen, having almost pulled off an improbable chase.
England had appeared poised for a comfortable win by lunch, reducing India to 112-8, but Jadeja, ably supported by Jasprit Bumrah, fought doggedly for nearly two hours.
Together they edged India closer to their modest target of 193, defying England’s bowlers with gritty determination.
There were moments of high drama. Jadeja was initially given out lbw to Chris Woakes, only for the decision to be overturned on review.
He then smashed the very next ball for six over mid-wicket, drawing roars of approval from the Indian supporters. England finally broke through when Bumrah, after scoring a stubborn five, skied an attempted pull off Ben Stokes and was caught by substitute Sam Cook.
Even then, Jadeja refused to yield. He reached his half-century off 150 balls, deftly guiding Stokes over the slips for four. With Siraj as his last partner, Jadeja cleverly manipulated the strike, repeatedly taking singles on the fourth ball to shield the tailender.
Siraj, showing considerable grit, faced 30 deliveries for his four runs and even endured a painful blow to the shoulder from Jofra Archer before Bashir finally ended India’s resistance.
Earlier, England’s bowlers had delivered telling blows in the morning session. India resumed on 58-4, with Rishabh Pant briefly entertaining the crowd by smashing Archer for a one-handed straight drive for four. But Archer responded perfectly, bowling Pant with a sharp delivery that knocked out his off stump.
Stokes then trapped KL Rahul lbw for 39, sinking to his knees in animated appeal. The on-field umpire was unmoved, but a review overturned the decision to the delight of the home fans. Washington Sundar followed soon after for a duck, Archer pulling off a spectacular one-handed catch off his own bowling.
Jadeja and debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy managed to steady the innings briefly with a stand of 30, frustrating England with their solid defence. However, just before lunch, Woakes found Reddy’s edge, sending him back for a crucial breakthrough and lifting England’s spirits as they headed off to warm applause from a packed Lord’s crowd.
In the end, it was a riveting day of Test cricket marked by tension, skill, and emotional swings, with England ultimately prevailing to take a vital lead in this enthralling series.
