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Right then, three down, two to go in this five-match blockbuster Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, with England leading the series 2-1. The first three Tests have been an absolute treat, with every match going the distance. And with tempers flaring and a bit of needle creeping into this contest, the final two Tests promise to be even more gripping. England and India will resume hostilities in the fourth Test, starting Wednesday, 23rd July at Old Trafford in Manchester. The first ball will be bowled at 3.30 pm IST (10 am GMT), but you can join us early for the build-up. Until then, take care and goodbye!
There were several key moments that shaped the outcome of this Test, and one of the most telling was the lower-order contribution in the first innings. England’s last three wickets added a priceless 116 runs, while India’s managed just 11, turning what could have been a lead into a rare first-innings tie. Add to that the 25 byes India conceded in the second innings, and in a low-scoring contest, those small margins proved decisive.
The skipper of England, Ben Stokes is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his phenomenal all-round display. On being reminded about 14th July, the day of the 2019 World Cup final being special, he says that he and Jofra had a feeling this morning that this day would be special and he is thankful that it ended on their side. On being asked about Jofra starting ahead of Carse this morning, he says that Carse was amazing last night, but he had a good feeling about Jofra, hence he went with him. On Jofra’s comeback, he says it’s awesome to have him back and all the crowd were up on their feet when he came on to bowl. He adds that he got three crucial wickets. On how tired he is, he says that bowling in a test match for your country gets you excited. He adds that Shoaib Bashir coming on to bowl with a broken finger was a warrior effort. He says that with today all being on the line, him bowling so many overs wasn’t tiring. On batting form, an all-rounder has 4 opportunities to influence the Test match. He adds that with all-rounders the great thing is that if you don’t click in batting, you have a chance with the ball and vice versa. On Pant’s run out, he says he was in the middle of a bowling spell, so he was pumped up and he believes it was just one of those things where natural instinct took over. On going 2-1, he says that two very good teams are going at each other and he expects this series to get tougher going ahead.
The captain of India, Shubman Gill, is up for a chat. He begins by saying that he feels extremely proud of his boys for playing hard-fought cricket in the last session. Adds that this is as close as Test cricket gets. Mentions they were pretty confident with the plenty of batting to come. Appreciates that England bowled really well and they couldn't string some partnerships in the top order. Feels that the target wasn't massive. On the message sent out to Jadeja, Gill says that Jadeja is very experienced and no message was needed to be passed on to him. Says he was batting brilliantly and just wanted him and the tail to keep batting. Admits that at one point, they believed they could get a lead of around 50-60 runs, which he reckons could have been a crucial one, given the state of the match. Shares that they knew chasing around 150-200 on this kind of a pitch won't be easy at all. Tells that things changed really quickly and admits that they could have applied themselves way better in the last hour of the fourth day. Further adds that sometimes the series scorecard doesn't really reflect on how well the team has played. Ends by saying that they are excited for the rest of the series. On being asked about Bumrah's availability for the Old Trafford Test, he chuckles a bit and says it will be shared soon.
Time for the presentation ceremony....
At that point, they looked dead and buried, especially given how fragile the tail had been throughout the series. With the field spread, boundaries were hard to come by for Jadeja but he batted with immense patience. England threw everything they had at the visitors, and once again, it was the golden arm of Ben Stokes that broke through, with Jasprit Bumrah falling to the well-executed short-ball ploy. The flame of hope still flickered for the tourists, as Jadeja found another resolute ally in Mohammed Siraj. The pair battled through a tense phase, and as they headed into the tea break needing just 30 more runs, the possibility of a famous win remained very much alive but it wasn't to be.
135 runs for India and 6 wickets for England was the equation heading into the final day. Ben Stokes opted to start with Jofra Archer rather than Brydon Carse, a move likely influenced by Archer's success against left-handers. The decision paid off handsomely, with Archer removing both Rishabh Pant and Washington Sundar to dent the Indian hopes. The telling moment, however, came from the tireless Stokes himself, who dismissed first-innings centurion KL Rahul during a relentless nine-over spell where he consistently hammered away on a probing length. Just when Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja were stitching together a recovery, the script repeated itself as India lost yet another wicket with the lunch break looming.
In their defence of a middling target, England got just the start they needed with the early dismissal of Yashasvi Jaiswal. KL Rahul and Karun Nair looked tentative at first but gradually settled in, guiding India to 41/1 and seemingly in control. However, Brydon Carse turned the tide late in the day with a crucial double strike that swung the momentum back England’s way. Sent in as the nightwatchman, Akash Deep couldn’t survive the final moments.
After three days of slow burn, the Test truly came to life from Day 4 onwards, with the heated exchanges late on Day 3 adding extra spice. On Day 4, India’s pace duo thoroughly tested the English batters in the opening session, with Mohammed Siraj striking early and Jasprit Bumrah rattling the batters to leave England reeling at 98/4. Post-lunch, Joe Root and Ben Stokes stitched together a classy partnership only for Washington Sundar to shatter it with a four-wicket haul that sent the tail packing and left England all out for 192.
India, three down and trailing by 242, had plenty to do on Day 3. KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant led the charge in the morning, until a brilliant piece of fielding from Ben Stokes just before lunch ran Pant out, a massive turning point, as until then, England hadn’t looked like taking a wicket. Rahul fell soon after bringing up his century, and the momentum shifted with India still 133 runs behind. Ravindra Jadeja then steadied the ship, stitching vital stands with Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar to take India closer to parity. The last three wickets didn’t add much, and both sides finished with identical first-innings scores, only the ninth such instance in Test history.
Earlier in the game, England won the toss for the third Test in a row and, for the first time, chose to bat. Several batters got starts, but few converted them into big scores. They ended Day 1 on 251/4, with the spotlight on Joe Root and growing anticipation of a century. Root brought up his 37th Test hundred the next morning, but India hit back through Jasprit Bumrah, who took three quick wickets. From 271/7, Jamie Smith and Brydon Carse mounted a lower-order rescue with valuable fifties. Smith dropped on 5, made India pay as the last three wickets added 116 runs. England were eventually bowled out for 387, with Bumrah earning his spot on the Lord’s honours board with his first five-wicket haul at the ground.
Test cricket at its absolute best! The injured warrior delivers the final blow to seal a memorable win. Ecstasy for England, but also a touching gesture as they put an arm around the shoulders of Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj, who are understandably heartbroken. We have seen England pull off some remarkable chases in recent times, but this one, defending just 192, will rank right up there as one of their finest. A hard-earned victory for Ben Stokes and his side, and one that will feel especially sweet. India will be left bitterly disappointed. They came into the chase as favourites and had the batting depth to get the job done. While there will be some consolation in the resistance shown by Jadeja and the tail, what will sting the most is their inability to string partnerships and withstand the pressure created with the hard new ball by the English pacers.
Halt! The physio is out to check on Mohammed Siraj. The ice pack is being applied on the left shoulder to ease the pain. Siraj is ready to resume.
Ollie Pope is in at forward short leg, with Joe Root positioned to his right under the helmet, parallel to the popping crease. There is also a leg gully in place.
It is going to be Jofra Archer from the Nursery End. 14-1-52-3 so far for Jofra.
We are all set to get going. The players make their way through the Long Room. The second new ball is 10 overs away. England are starting with spin in the form of Shoaib Bashir. Ravindra Jadeja to face with a slip in place. Off we go...
... DAY 5, SESSION 3 ...
The ball definitely went softer, and the wicket too stopped responding a bit. However, irrespective of the condition of the ball and the pitch, one would have expected England to wrap this up in the 2nd session, but they have failed to do so. There was a moment in the 2nd session when Jadeja was adjudged LBW on the bowling of Woakes, but that was overturned, and since then Jadeja, along with Bumrah and then with Siraj, has patiently ground it out. Right then, the final session of this game promises to be box office, as England has 1 wicket to take and India are still 30 runs short of the target. Do join us for the post-tea session at 9 pm IST (3.30 pm GMT).
Well, well, who would have thought that with India 8 wickets down at Lunch, this Test would see the final session? India began at 112/8, and everyone thought it was the last session, but it did not turn out to be so. All thanks to Jadeja and Bumrah, who skittled their way through most of the session, adding 35 runs for the 9th wicket. The strategy from the duo was simple, as Jadeja looked to bat the majority of the balls in the over before crossing over. In the session, England almost tried to throw everything at the duo of Jadeja and Bumrah, but nothing worked until Bumrah decided to take the matter into his own hands and played a false stroke.
Probably the final over before Tea then. Stokes carries on.
With still a few minutes remaining in this extended session, Jadeja has rushed off for the bathroom break, hence, a slight delay. He soon jogs out of the Long Room and is appreciated by the members there. Gets out to the middle, wears his helmet back and we are ready to resume. Carse to continue.
Nasser Hussain informs that Tea has been pushed back by half an hour.
Brydon Carse to continue.
Under two minutes remain for the Tea break, but since we are down to the final wicket, the session is expected to be extended by 30 minutes. There is no official confirmation yet, but unless the final wicket falls before the scheduled interval, an extension is almost certainly on the cards.
Mohammed Siraj is the last man in. A few boos ring around the ground.
Jasprit Bumrah needs some medical attention for the blow on the right thigh. Bumrah is ready to resume. A discussion between Joe Root, Ollie Pope and Stokes. The field is set for the short ball. A short leg, one man at short mid-wicket and one a few yards in off the ropes at mid-wicket.
DRINKS BREAK. India have hung in there with Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah offering stubborn resistance. Jadeja has not taken as many risks as one might have expected from him in this situation. Occasionally, towards the end of an over with the field up, he has looked to go over the top, but for the most part, it has been measured. That sideways movement and variable bounce seen in the morning session has largely disappeared but England have banged away on a length and will have to keep stumps into play all the time. Ben Stokes is having an animated chat with his troops in the huddle before resuming. Shoaib Bashir has taken the field but it will be Stokes to bowl after the break.
Joe Root is brought into the attack now. He replaces Brydon Carse from the Pavilion End.
Ben Stokes (11-1-23-2) returns into the attack. Bowled a mammoth spell of 9.2 overs earlier in the day. He replaces Chris Woakes.
Change of gloves for Ravindra Jadeja.
There was a bit of confusion out in the middle. The umpires initially signalled the end of the over and Prasidh Krishna ran in with drinks. The fielders even changed ends, but the third umpire seemed to point out that only five balls had been bowled.
Jofra Archer (10-0-41-3) will operate from the other end. Two slips in place.
Welcome back for what in all likelihood will be the final session of the Test. A few grey clouds are hovering over Lord's but we should be fine. Ben Stokes gathers his men in a huddle. Jasprit Bumrah joins Ravindra Jadeja in the middle. Chris Woakes will finish his over. Two slips and two gullies in place. Here we go!
... DAY 5, SESSION 2 ...
India's hopes hang by a thread now, with Ravindra Jadeja left as the only recognised batter at the crease. With Siraj and Bumrah left, England have exposed India's tail from one end and come the afternoon session, they will aim to drill through this Indian batting as quickly as possible. 81 runs surely must be feeling like a bridge too far for India, but we have seen insane things happen in cricket. Come what may, we are in for another Lord's classic. Stick around as the post-Lunch session resumes at 6.10 pm IST (12.40 pm GMT).
With the game progressing, the Dukes ball softened like a marshmallow, and the batters found a little respite. Nitish Kumar Reddy stood firm with a rock-solid defence while Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with nimble singles, though boundaries remained a rare sight. England refused to give anything, their bowlers attacking with unrelenting intensity and fielders throwing themselves on the line. When the bowling unit lifts its game, it lifts the entire team, and that is exactly what we witnessed this morning. However, the alliance between Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja settled things for a fair bit, and also trimmed down the target into double digits with their 30-run stand. But in came Chris Woakes and nicked off Reddy at the stroke of Lunch, which furthered England's foothold in this contest.
India resumed on 58 for 4, still clinging to hope with four frontline batters waiting in the wings. Rishabh Pant, nursing an injured left index finger, joined KL Rahul briefly before falling victim to the pitch’s uneven bounce. There's just been enough uneven bounce to make it hard to line up on the stumps due to that slope as well. Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer unleashed fiery bursts. Stokes bowled an extended spell, pouring every ounce of heart and soul into his bowling as the skipper took matters into his own hands. They relentlessly targeted the stumps and reaped the rewards. Stokes fished out KL Rahul with a peach of a delivery, then Archer snapped up Washington Sundar with a screamer of a catch. Suddenly India slipped from 71/4 to 82/7, still more than half runs away.
It was clear that whichever side seized the first hour of this final day would carry the upper hand. England arrived with a never-say-die attitude and hammered India’s batting line up from the outset, making every single run feel like a hard-earned prize. For India, with 135 runs adrift, it was about stringing a couple of steady partnerships to coast safely to the win. But that wasn't the case as they just kept losing wickets one after the other and are now staring down a defeat.
SESSION SUMMARY - 21.4 Overs, 54 Runs, 4 Wickets. Oh, what a sport cricket is! Beautiful and cruel at the same time. England ended Day 4 with a wicket, and have finished this morning session with a wicket, and all the momentum tilted toward them. They are just two good deliveries away from pulling this off. But it's been a sensational fight between two quality sides. In fact, it's been 15 days of cricket at its best in this series so far, with no side ready to concede an inch. Every run has been cheered, and every appeal has been met with a roar that shook the stands.
Nasser Hussain on-air informs that Joe Root is off the field.
After bowling 9.2 fiery overs this morning, Stokes is off the attack. Chris Woakes (5-2-11-0) replaces him.
Chris Woakes is loosening up now. With just 15 minutes or so for Lunch, he is surely due for a spell, possibly from Stokes' end.
Stokes to continue his marathon bowling stint. Into his 9th consecutive over of this spell. The crowd at Lord's hasn't backed down from cheering and is right behind their respective teams. The temperature might be cooler today in London, but it's all heated up in the middle at the Home of Cricket.
Will Stokes bowl another? Yes, he will. 8th over on the trot for the English skipper since the start of play today.
Brydon Carse (4-1-11-2) is into the attack now. He replaces Jofra Archer.
DRINKS BREAK! It has been all England this morning with a dominant display that has firmly tilted the game in their favour. The first hour could hardly have gone worse for India, and all their hopes now rest on the shoulders of the last recognised pair, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja. Ben Stokes will know he is just one wicket away from exposing the tail, and that incentive might push him to send down an extra over or two in this spell.
Nitish Kumar Reddy is in next.
Washington Sundar walks in ahead of Nitish Kumar Reddy. England are right on top and the crowd is right behind Ben Stokes as he charges in from around the wicket.
Ravindra Jadeja is in at number 7.
Shoaib Bashir has not taken the field yet. However, since his injury is external, he isn't required to spend time on the field before being allowed to bowl. That means he can be brought into the attack whenever England feel the time is right.
Jofra Archer will steam in from the other end. 4-0-18-1 so far for Jofra.
Former England pacer Steve Harmison rings the five-minute bell to signal the countdown to the start of play. Ben Stokes and his men stride out to the middle under bright sunshine. KL Rahul walks out with Rishabh Pant as India set their sights on 135 more runs. Ben Stokes is at the top of his mark at the Nursery End and has two balls left in the over. Stokes is starting from around the wicket to Pant with two slips and a gully in place. Let the final day begin!
PITCH REPORT - Raunak Kapoor and Deep Dasgupta take a close look at the pitch ahead of Day 5 at Lord’s. Raunak calls it a day of endless possibilities and notes that a fresh breeze and cooler air would add to the drama. From the Pavilion End, Deep points only a few ball marks and indentations on the good length area, causing the occasional deviant bounce. They then move to the Nursery End, where Brydon Carse found his rhythm on Day 4 and bowled a fiery spell. Deep observes a few widening cracks and plenty of footmarks but still reckons 135 should be within reach. He adds that those cracks should offer the bowlers a bit of extra assistance.
There was some overnight rain, but the sun is out now and the weather shouldn’t be an issue. Not that any amount of rain could wash away the intensity that’s been brewing between these two sides since the heated exchange late on Day 3. The needle is well and truly there. We are also hearing that it’s going to be a sellout today, and the crowd is already filing in nicely.
Today also marks six years since that unforgettable 2019 World Cup final and the Super Over drama that unfolded right here at Lord’s. The stakes are not as high as they were that day, but there is a sense in the air that we could be in for another humdinger. Stay tuned as the action is not far away.
Pressure does strange things to the mind and challenges even the best. You find yourself playing at deliveries you should leave and leaving the ones you should be playing. Karun Nair did the latter, giving the hosts an opening which they pounced on. On a surface where any ball could have your name on it, retreating into a shell is not a viable option. India must bat with intent and take heart from their spirited first-innings fightback. KL Rahul and those to follow were pivotal to that effort, and the visitors will be hoping they can step up once more.
It was always going to be about how much England could make the new ball count. Only one wicket fell early, but the introduction of Brydon Carse blew the game wide open. With a newish ball in hand and the surface offering uneven bounce and lateral movement, the home side will back themselves to pull off a famous defence. Washington Sundar picked up wickets more through drift than genuine turn, but Day 5 could offer more for spinners. Shoaib Bashir, who came out to bat with an injured left little finger, hasn’t bowled since taking that blow in the first innings. While the injury is to his non-bowling hand, his availability with the ball today remains uncertain.
After four days of ebb and flow, it all comes down to this. Here we are, poised for yet another Day 5 finish in this Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. India need 135 runs, England need 6 wickets and one way or another, it’s all set up for a gripping finale. The pendulum swung dramatically in the final 30 minutes of Day 4, and it is fair to say that England will walk in today as the more confident side.
... DAY 5, SESSION 1 ...
What a Day 5 we have in store! Tickets are already sold out and it promises to be a memorable finish with all four results on the table. KL Rahul got a reprieve on 5 when Chris Woakes put down a return catch, and just like in the first innings, he will be pivotal to India’s hopes. As for England, they will take momentum into the morning, and with Brydon Carse, who looked off-colour in the first innings, now finding his rhythm, things are looking up for the hosts heading into the final day. Monday, 14th July is set up to be one of those days you simply don't want to miss. If you do, it’s one you might well regret. The first ball on Day 5 will be bowled at 3.30 pm IST (10 am GMT). Until then, take care and goodbye!
After Lunch, England’s recovery effort resumed through Joe Root and Ben Stokes. Though they had a tough initiation, the experienced pair hung in and looked to stabilise the innings. Amidst all the threats posed by the pacers, it was Washington Sundar who broke through for India. From there, the tourists chipped away steadily. Stokes perished trying to take on Sundar after the break, and the off-spinner combined with Jasprit Bumrah to clean up the tail. From 154/4, England lost 5 for 38 to be bowled out for 192, with Sundar finishing with a fine four-wicket haul.
Earlier in the morning, variable bounce, especially from the Nursery End, made life uncomfortable for the batters. Jasprit Bumrah posed plenty of questions, though it was Mohammed Siraj who reaped the rewards. Crawley couldn’t convert his start either, while Harry Brook tried to counterpunch in typical fashion but perished to his attacking instincts. England found themselves at 98/4 at the end of the first session.
Test cricket at its absolute finest! Ben Stokes delivers the final flourish with a peach and three wickets in the last 30 minutes for England have set up a thrilling final day. With 90 minutes left in the day, India began their reply to a middling total of 193. It was a nervy start, with Yashasvi Jaiswal falling early for the second time in the game, to Jofra Archer. Karun Nair and KL Rahul came together to steady the ship, and things looked calm at 41/1. But then came Brydon Carse, bowling with great rhythm and intensity, and he rocked the Indian boat with a fiery spell to drag England right back into the contest.
Ollie Pope comes in at short leg.
Joe Root wants a man at short leg but Ben Stokes thinks otherwise. Three slips, a gully and a leg gully in place.
With about 2 mintues left in the day, we will have one more over.
Here we go again. It is India's turn today to try and run down the clock. Akash Deep has called for the physio with around 5 minutes left in the day. The ball hit Deep on the back thigh and the physio is out with the magic spray.
Akash Deep walks in as the night watchman with around 13 minutes left in the day. Joe Root is egging the crowd on.
Indian skipper, Shubman Gill walks out to the centre with under 30 minutes left in the day.
DRINKS BREAK! An eventful start to India’s chase. The start was a bit shaky with Yashasvi Jaiswal’s early dismissal, but boundaries from KL Rahul and Karun Nair have helped settle the nerves. England will be disappointed with the dropped catch of Rahul on 5, a costly miss, perhaps, as momentum starts to shift India's way. Ben Stokes, ever the workhorse, will keep charging in, but he will need support from the other end. Brydon Carse to share the attack with Stokes for now.
Ben Stokes brings himself into the attack.
Karun Nair is in at 3.
Jofra Archer to bowl from the Nursery End.