England wins Lord’s Test as India falls short in final-hour drama
LONDON: England secured a dramatic win in the third Test at Lord’s on Monday, defeating India by 22 runs and taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Despite a spirited fight by India’s lower order, including Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja, England held their nerve to win the Lord’s Test in a nail-biting finish.
India, chasing 193 to win, was bowled out for 170 after a gritty rearguard by the tailenders brought them within touching distance of an unlikely victory. The Lord’s Test saw a complete turnaround on the final day, as India slipped from imminent defeat to near-triumph, only for the match to end with No. 11 Siraj playing on to spinner Shoaib Bashir. Siraj’s dismissal sparked wild celebrations from England as the Lord’s Test concluded in dramatic fashion.
India’s lower order nearly steals the Lord’s Test
India entered the final day of the Lord’s Test needing 126 runs with six wickets in hand, and by lunch, they were teetering at 112-8. However, Ravindra Jadeja stood tall amid the collapse, anchoring India’s chase in the Lord’s Test with a determined 61 off 181 balls. Jadeja found unlikely partners in Jasprit Bumrah and Siraj, who together pushed India to within 22 runs of the target, igniting hope among Indian fans at a packed Lord’s.
Bumrah and Jadeja added 35 runs in a tense partnership that lasted 22 overs. Despite Bumrah’s limited batting history—six ducks in his last seven innings—he stayed resilient until he mistimed a pull shot off Ben Stokes and was caught at mid-on. With Bumrah gone, Siraj joined Jadeja and absorbed pressure admirably during his brief stay in the Lord’s Test, even taking a blow from Jofra Archer on the shoulder.
Siraj, who was fined earlier in the Lord’s Test for unsportsmanlike conduct, defied expectations as he added vital runs before falling victim to Bashir, who spun one past his bat and into the stumps, ending India’s innings and the Lord’s Test in heartbreak.
England’s bowlers shine in key Lord’s Test spells
England’s bowlers, particularly Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes, delivered under pressure in the Lord’s Test. Archer claimed 3-55 in the innings, including the key wicket of Rishabh Pant, and finished with five wickets in the match. Stokes, the England captain, bowled two tireless spells—nine overs in the morning and 10 in the afternoon—to remove set batters and break key partnerships, including that of Jadeja and Bumrah.
Chris Woakes, brought on late, also played a crucial role in the Lord’s Test, removing Nitish Reddy just before lunch with a sharp delivery edged behind. England, who had already chased down a record 371 at Headingley, showed once again why their bowling attack remains a formidable force in high-stakes moments.
What’s next in the England vs India Test series
The victory gives England a 2-1 advantage in the five-match series, which resumes on July 23 at Old Trafford. Both sides will carry strong memories of the Lord’s Test, a match that ebbed and flowed over five days and showcased the resilience of both teams. For India, the narrow loss in the Lord’s Test will sting, especially given their lower order’s rare display of grit and resistance.
The Lord’s Test may be remembered as one of the closest-fought contests between these two cricketing giants, highlighting the drama, unpredictability, and intensity that define England vs India Test cricket.
