 "India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja embraces England captain Ben Stokes following India's heartbreaking 22-run defeat on the final day of the third Test at Lord's. Reuters")
England regained the lead in the five-Test series against India with a 22-run victory in the third Test at Lord’s on Monday . Captain Ben Stokes and pace colleague Jofra Archer, returning to Test cricket after more than four years, collected three wickets each as the hosts bowled Shubman Gill and Co out for 170 on the final day of a fiercely-fought third Test at the ‘Home of Cricket’.
India had earlier bowled England out for 192 on Day 4 after both teams finished with identical first innings scores of 387, setting themselves a target of 193 that initially looked fairly chaseable. England, however, ended the day firmly on top after reducing India to 58/4 at stumps, with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Shubman Gill departing cheaply along the way.
India were then left staring at a second defeat in three Tests in the ongoing tour after in-form wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, who was unbeaten on 33 overnight, departed in quick succession in the morning session, with all-rounder Washington Sundar’s dismissal reducing the visitors to 82/7.
Jadeja rallies with lower order, takes India within touching distance of finish line
Ravindra Jadeja, who had scored a half-century in each of his last three innings, fought on and delayed the inevitable by forging valuable partnerships with the trio of Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj to get India within touching distance of the target before Shoaib Bashir dismissed Siraj to bring the thrilling match to an end.
Jadeja remained unbeaten on 61, collecting four fours and a six in his 181-ball knock in which he brought up his fourth half-century on the trot. And what stood out in this innings was the fact that he refused to celebrate his fifty with his quintessential sword celebration.
Also Read | ‘Heartbreaking finish but proud of the fight’: Jadeja, Siraj hailed for fighting spirit at Lord’s
Siraj, meanwhile, was left heartbroken after a rather unlucky dismissal – blocking a delivery from off-spinner Bashir, only for the ball to roll onto the leg stump and dislodge the bail ever so gently, leading to euphoric celebrations from Stokes and his teammates.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsA couple of the Englishmen, however, walked up to Siraj to congratulate him for putting up an outstanding fight in a moment that was reminiscent of the famous Andrew Flintoff consoling Brett Lee memory from the Edgbaston Test in the 2005 Ashes.