There are victories that dominate the headlines. And then there are wins that find a place in folklore. England’s 22-run triumph over India in the third Test at Lord’s will belong firmly in the latter category.
On a pitch that demanded patience, discipline and heart, it was Ben Stokes’ side that kept their nerve, held their catches, backed their instinct, and eventually, found a way. For five days, the match swung like a pendulum. But when the last bail was dislodged by a fractured-fingered Shoaib Bashir, it was England who roared in celebration, leading the series 2-1 with two matches to go.
Root and Rahul Lead the Narrative Early
The tone was set early. Joe Root, calm as ever in the chaos, anchored England’s first innings with a sublime 104. It wasn’t flashy, but it was authoritative. It wasn’t aggressive, but it was effective. With handy contributions from Crawley and Pope, England posted 387—an above-par score on a surface that had something in it from Day 1.
India, to their credit, matched the effort. KL Rahul was resolute and composed, bringing up a gritty century of his own. Alongside Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, he ensured that India reached 387 too. At stumps on Day 2, the teams stood level, not just in runs, but in intensity.
England’s Collapse, India’s Target
The third day brought a shift. England’s second innings wobbled from the start. The pitch had quickened, offering inconsistent bounce and movement. The Indian pace attack led by Bumrah and Siraj exposed the cracks. Ben Stokes’ 44 was the only resistance of note, and England crumbled to 192.
India were left chasing 193. It was a tricky total, small enough to tempt, big enough to trap. And it did exactly that.
Jofra Archer Changes the Mood
It had been over four years since Jofra Archer last played a Test match. But the rhythm was intact. The menace was still there. He came steaming in with fresh energy and dismantled India’s top order with precision and fire. His dismissal of Rishabh Pant, with a thunderbolt that nipped in and crashed into off-stump, was the moment the tide turned.
Chris Woakes complemented him well, removing KL Rahul for 39 just as the opener looked settled. By the end of Day 4, India were tottering at 95/5. The chase had turned into a crawl.
Day 5: Jadeja’s Defiance, England’s Persistence
India needed 98 runs. England needed five wickets. The stakes couldn’t be higher.
Nitish Reddy departed early, undone by Ben Stokes’ short-ball tactic. Washington Sundar fell for a duck. The resistance, surprisingly, came from the tail.
Ravindra Jadeja, battling on a fifth-day surface, brought calm in chaos. His half-century wasn’t a spectacle—it was survival. With Jasprit Bumrah, he stitched a tense 35-run stand. Every run was greeted with a groan from the English fielders, every dot ball with cheers from the Indian dressing room.
Bumrah hung around. Siraj followed. Suddenly, 193 didn’t seem that far. From 112/8, India clawed their way to 170/9.
And then came the final blow.
Shoaib Bashir: The Broken-Finger Hero
Shoaib Bashir had suffered a fractured finger earlier in the game. He wasn’t supposed to bowl the final spell. But with Siraj looking increasingly defiant, Stokes tossed the ball to him.
On the third ball of his over, Bashir delivered a classic off-break that turned just enough, kissed the outside edge of Siraj’s bat, and clattered into the stumps. The off bail jumped. So did England. Lord erupted.
It was the kind of finish that makes Test cricket immortal.
Ben Stokes: The Relentless General
Across five days, Ben Stokes was in the thick of it. Two fighting knocks with the bat, five wickets, one run-out, and an unrelenting presence in the field. He read the conditions better, rotated his bowlers with precision, and placed the perfect field for every twist the match took.
The Player of the Match award was almost a formality. But more than the numbers, it was his spirit that defined England’s performance.
India’s Fragility in the Fourth Innings
For India, this will be a bitter pill. This is now the third time in 18 months they’ve failed to chase targets below 200. The middle-order collapsed under pressure, and even Jadeja’s heroic 61* couldn’t rescue the day. The absence of application and a recurring vulnerability while chasing have become too frequent to ignore.
The Road Ahead
With the series poised at 2-1, India now travel to Old Trafford for the fourth Test starting July 23. They’ll need more than technical adjustments. They’ll need belief. England, meanwhile, will feel they have the upper hand, not just on the scorecard, but in spirit.
