In the third Test of the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar series, England defeated India by 22 runs at the iconic Lords, leading the series 1-1.
England batted first and scored a competitive 387, mainly to a masterclass from Joe Root, who constructed a calm and technically solid 104. He held the innings together following early wickets, which gave England a boost. Ben Stokes (44) and Ollie Pope (44) made significant contributions, while Brydon Carse (56) added some quick runs down the order.
India’s bowlers struggled for breakthroughs at times, but Jasprit Bumrah bowled a brilliant spell, finishing with 5/74, including crucial middle-order wickets. Mohammed Siraj took two wickets, and Nitish Reddy dismissed both openers to help limit England’s score late on Day 2.
In a rare occasion, India matched England’s total run-for-run, finishing with 387. KL Rahul (100) began the batting with a magnificent hundred, demonstrating poise and timing throughout. Yashasvi Jaiswal got off to a flying start with three boundaries, however Rishabh Pant counterattacked wonderfully with 74 (112). Lower down, Jadeja (72) and Nitish Reddy (30) scored important runs to keep India equal.
England bowled well in patches, with Chris Woakes leading the way with 3/84, and Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes taking two wickets each. Despite the late wickets, India maintained the match’s balance after both first innings.
England’s second innings was a different story, as they crumbled for 192, failing to capitalise on their momentum. Zak Crawley (22) and Root (40) provided resistance, but regular wickets disrupted their flow. Harry Brook scored a blistering 23 and Ben Stokes added 33, but India’s bowlers were relentless.
Washington Sundar delivered a superb 4/22, cleaning up the lower order with accuracy and subtle changes. Bumrah and Siraj both got two wickets, keeping England’s lead to only 192 runs and setting India a target of 193 to win.
Chasing 193, India started poorly, losing Jaiswal for a duck. Rahul (39) and Karun Nair (14) appeared to hold the chase together with a disciplined combination, but a shocking middle-order collapse left India reeling. Brydon Carse (2/30) dismissed Gill and Nair, while Jofra Archer’s pace earned him three wickets, including the important one of Pant. Ben Stokes struck three times, dismissing Rahul, Akash Deep, and Bumrah at crucial moments. Jadeja (61*) was the lone warrior, caring for the strike and fighting to the end. However, with little support from the tail, India were bowled out for 170, falling 22 runs short of the target in a thrilling final day finish.
With this win, England are 2-1 up in the series.
Scorecard:
England: 387/10, Overs 112.3, Joe Root 104, Jasprit Bumrah 5/74
India: 387/10, Overs 119.2, KL Rahul 100, Chris Woakes 3/84
England: 192/10, Overs 62.1, Joe Root 40, Washington Sundar 4/22
India: 170/10, Overs 74.5, Ravindra Jadeja 61*, Ben Stokes 3/48
