The final day at Lord’s saw one of the most intense battles of the series so far, with England emerging victorious by just 22 runs after a gripping contest.
India, chasing 193 to win, were rocked early on Day 5 and despite Ravindra Jadeja’s heroic unbeaten 61, the visitors couldn’t complete the job.
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Ben Stokes turned up once again on the big stage, while Jofra Archer made a strong statement on return, combining to derail India’s chase.
England took control of the final morning at Lord’s
India resumed on 58/4, needing 135 more runs, but the early damage had already started on Day 4 with Brydon Carse’s late burst.
On Monday morning, Archer and Stokes took over. Archer first bowled Rishabh Pant with a lethal delivery after being hit for two boundaries, and then pulled off a stunning return catch to dismiss Washington Sundar.
Stokes removed KL Rahul with a sharp in-dipper that needed DRS to overturn the on-field decision. In a span of four overs, India had lost three wickets for just 11 runs.
MORE: Which Indian batters have scored a Test century at Lord's Cricket Ground?
Jadeja and the lower order fight back after the collapse
With the top order wiped out, Jadeja found support from Nitish Kumar Reddy and later Jasprit Bumrah. Reddy stayed firm for nearly an hour, surviving England’s chirping and field pressure.
Even when Jadeja collided with Carse during a run and tensions flared, the pair held their focus. But Woakes struck just before Lunch, removing Reddy and leaving India at 112/8.
Post-Lunch, Jadeja continued the resistance. With Bumrah playing a stoic second fiddle, Jadeja managed the strike brilliantly. Bumrah even broke his drought with a confident pull shot for four, his first run of the series.
With India inching closer and Jadeja raising his fourth straight fifty of the series, hope was still alive. Bumrah weathered short balls from Stokes but finally miscued a pull to end his 54-ball stay for 5.
MORE: Shastri questions India's poor tactics after Day 5 collapse
Siraj then walked in and took blows, blocked everything, and celebrated Jadeja’s milestones for him. But England introduced spin, and it was Shoaib Bashir who landed the final punch. He bowled Siraj for 4 and England clinched a narrow win in the final session.
When is the next Test in the series?
The fourth Test between India and England will begin on July 19. With England now leading 2-1 in the five-match series, the visitors must bounce back to stay alive in the series.