Ravindra Jadeja (61*), battling with the tail, stood tall but couldn’t prevent England from securing a dramatic 22-run win in the third Test at Lord’s, taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
Set 192 to win, India collapsed to 82/7 on the fifth morning before Jadeja forged valiant lower-order stands — 30 with Nitish Reddy and 35 with Jasprit Bumrah — to drag the contest into the final session. But just when India looked like pulling off a famous win, Chris Woakes, Ben Stokes, and Shoaib Bashir struck at key intervals to seal it for England.
Morning Mayhem: Archer and Stokes Turn the Tide
Resuming at 58/4, India required 135 more runs. But Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes ripped through the middle-order in a fiery spell.
- Archer cleaned up Rishabh Pant after being hit for two boundaries, then pulled off a sensational return catch to remove Washington Sundar.
- Stokes trapped KL Rahul LBW with a sharp nip-backer — the on-field decision overturned on review.
India lost 3 wickets for 11 runs, and by the 31st over, were staring at defeat.
Jadeja-Reddy Show Resistance
With India tottering, Jadeja and debutant Nitish Reddy dug in. They survived intense sledging, sharp bouncers, and a minor on-field clash when Jadeja collided with Brydon Carse mid-run, sparking words that Stokes had to defuse.
Though boundaries dried up, the pair brought the target below 100 before Woakes got Reddy (13) right before lunch, tilting the match England’s way again.
Jadeja-Bumrah Frustrate England
Jadeja took it upon himself to marshal the chase. With Bumrah in survival mode — scoring his first run after 9 dots, then another only after 41 more — Jadeja shielded him from strike, even refusing easy singles.
He lifted Indian spirits by smashing Woakes for six and defying LBW shouts with a successful review. The Indian crowd at Lord’s erupted with every run.
Bumrah eventually fell for a gritty 5 off 54 balls, miscuing a Stokes bouncer. At Tea, India were 170/9 — 22 runs away.
Final Blow: Bashir Seals It for England
In a dramatic final session, with India just 22 short, England turned to spin. Shoaib Bashir, bowling with an injured finger, bowled Mohammed Siraj (4 off 30) to bring the curtains down.
Jadeja, stranded on 61*, watched in despair as England completed a hard-fought win in what was arguably the most enthralling match of the series so far.
