INDIA TOUR OF ENGLAND, 2025
England celebrate the last wicket of Mohammed Siraj © Getty
Ravindra Jadeja (61*) was the architect of India’s valiant lower-order resistance that lasted for over a session but England marched to a fighting 2-1 series lead with a narrow 22-run victory over India at Lord’s. After a mini collapse of 3 for 11 to start off the fifth morning, Jadeja put on two fighting partnerships – worth 30 with Nitish Reddy and 35 with Jasprit Bumrah – to keep India hanging by the thread until the final session. However, Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes found a way past those stubborn stands at the stroke of Lunch and Tea respectively to put England on the brink of successfully defending 192.
In reality, the morning collapse was an extension of England’s remarkable comeback that Brydon Carse kickstarted late on Day 4. Despite losing 3 for 17 in the final moments of play yesterday – including their in-form captain and the nightwatch – India resumed from 58 for 4 in the chase where they required 135 more. Jofra Archer and Stokes, however, flipped the game on its head in their extended morning spells.
After being hit to the fence twice by Rishabh Pant, Archer sent the Indian’s off-stump cartwheeling and followed it with a send-off. Stokes then trapped KL Rahul in front with a nip-backer. Given not-out on field, Stokes took the appeal upstairs and was validated when ball-tracking returned three reds. In the very next over, Archer pulled off a low one-handed stunner in his follow-through to send back Washington Sundar off his own bowling before the all-rounder could even get off the mark. The collapse of 3 for 11 in the space of four overs left India tottering at 82 for 7.
That’s when Reddy joined hands with Jadeja to try and dig India out of a hole. The pair put their heads down for the hard grind, slowly building a partnership that brought India’s deficit down below 100 by the drinks break. After a series of communication breakdowns in their partnership in the first innings, the last-recognised batting pair showed marked improvement in their calling and running with the game on the line.
Even as India went boundary-less for an 80-ball spell since Pant’s couple, there was no shortage of fireworks. The fielders inside the ring kept constantly chirping to induce a mistake from the batters, particularly Reddy. Ball-watching while running for two, Jadeja ran into Carse and the heated exchange of words between the two was doused by Stokes just as it appeared to turn ugly.
Reddy largely impressed with his solid defence to frustrate England for nearly an hour but Woakes struck at the stroke of Lunch to put his team in the driver’s seat. The all-rounder nicked off on 13 to leave India at 112 for 8, still needing 81 more while England’s chances at gaining that series lead looked far more realistic.
Fending with the tail, Jadeja decided to test England’s patience though.
Even with their team in dire situation, the Indian supporters gathered at the Lord’s made their presence felt by cheering every single Jadeja fetched or every time Bumrah came forward in defence. They erupted in joy when Bumrah, after facing nine dots, opened his account for the first time in the series by confidently pulling Archer over mid-wicket for four. When the ball-tracking showed impact outside off as Jadeja challenged the LBW off Woakes, a round of boos followed. He then gave Woakes the charge the next ball and hacked it over mid-wicket for maximum damage, again inviting loud cheers.
Jadeja went out of his way, refusing easy single opportunities, to shield Bumrah from strike while the Indian spearhead himself remained resolute in defence. The next run off Bumrah’s bat came only 41 deliveries later as he played the ideal second fiddle to the all-rounder. Stokes kept going short in trying to bounce him out, and Bumrah did have a couple of misses. Eventually, it was a short ball from the English skipper that lured him into a pull and brought curtains on his valiant 54-ball fight when Bumrah miscued on five.
With minutes to go for Tea, the session was extended but Mohammed Siraj came out with similar intent – to keep England at bay. To that effect, he copped blows to his hand, celebrated Jadeja’s fifty for him, and nearly saw through the spells of Carse and Stokes before finally opening his account in 19 deliveries. Jadeja, who raised his fourth successive fifty of the series, got to the landmark with a risky four off Stokes but held on to the trademark sword celebration for later.
That opportunity never came, though. England began the final session with spin, and it was Bashir eventually – with an injured finger – to get them the final wicket they were desperate for. A distraught Siraj stood there in disbelief – bowled on 4 off 30 – as England wrapped up a 22-run victory five overs into the final session of an enthralling Test.
Brief scores: England 387 (Joe Root 104, Brydon Carse 56, Jamie Smith 51; Jasprit Bumrah 5-74) & 192 (Joe Root 40; Washington Sundar 4-22, Siraj 2-31) beat India 387 (KL Rahul 100, Rishabh Pant 74, Ravindra Jadeja 72; Chris Woakes 3-84, Jofra Archer 2-52) & 170 (Ravindra Jadeja 61*; Ben Stokes 3-48, Jofra Archer 3-55) by 22 runs
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