Ben Stokes once again inspired England to a 22-run win over a stubborn India on an unbearably tense final day of the third Test at Lord’s. The captain Ben Stokes delivered a monumental shift with the ball to claim three wickets as India were bowled out for 170.
In an epic conclusion, the hosts had victory in their grasp until nerves were frayed by outstanding defiance from Ravindra Jadeja. Chasing 193, India were 112-8 when Jadeja was joined by number 10 Jasprit Bumrah. They were together for almost 22 overs before Ben Stokes, who bowled tirelessly from the Nursery End, drew Bumrah into a pull to mid-on. Bumrah’s contribution to a stand of 35 was five from 54 balls.
Still Jadeja resisted, this time with last man Mohammed Siraj. Ben Stokes refused to stop bowling. A delayed tea was taken with 30 required for India.
The injured Shoaib Bashir was summoned after the break, and incredibly got Siraj to defend the ball into the ground and back on to his stumps. Bashir, who has an injured finger on his non-bowling hand, set off on a delirious celebration, his last act of the series after he was ruled out of the final two Tests. Jadeja was left stranded on 61 from 181 balls.
The drawn-out finale was a direct contrast to a pulsating morning, when Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer broke open the India batting with some irresistible pace bowling. Archer ripped Rishabh Pant’s off stump out of the ground, Ben Stokes had KL Rahul lbw on review for 39. Washington Sundar, who confidently told the media on Sunday night “India will win”, was sensationally held by Archer’s agile swoop in his follow-through.
Jadeja began his vigil, first alongside Nitish Kumar Reddy for 15 overs, then Bumrah. Jadeja and Brydon Carse had to be separated after an accidental collision while Jadeja was running between the wickets.England tried everything and thought they had Jadeja until he overturned being given lbw to Chris Woakes on 26. Once again, Ben Stokes decided it was up to him.
After a spell of 9.2 overs in the morning, the talismanic captain launched into another of 10 up to tea. Bashir had the moment of glory, but it was Ben Stokes who carried England on his back. Following his marathon spell and guiding England to win Skipper and Player of the Match Ben Stokes opened himelf on the bowling effort.
England’s workhorse Ben Stokes opens up on his marathon spells on Day 5
Ben Stokes, England’s captain, admitted he had taken himself to some “dark places” with his bowling workloads but said “nothing was stopping” him as he embarked on two lengthy spells to help drag his side to a 22-run victory over India on the final day at Lord’s.
Ben Stokes was named Player of the Match after taking five wickets across 44 overs – the third-most he has bowled in a Test, and the most since 2019 – to go with innings of 44 and 33 with the bat, as well as the crucial run-out of Rishabh Pant in India’s first innings.On the third evening, he received an instruction from England’s head coach, Brendon McCullum, to call it quits after a seven-over spell, with the team management still wary about protecting Stokes’ fitness after hamstring surgery over the winter.
But he again pushed his body to the limit on Monday, resuming his over from the previous evening and bowling a further 9.2 overs during the morning, which included the wicket of India opener KL Rahul. Ben Stokes followed up with a 10-over spell after lunch, eventually dislodging Jasprit Bumrah after a dogged 35-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja for the ninth wicket, as England sought to confirm victory and a 2-1 lead in the series.
The Lord’s Test was also the second of back-to-back matches, with just a three-day turnaround from India’s win at Edgbaston, where Ben Stokes bowled 26 overs. In the first Test, at Headingley, he sent down 35 overs and spoke afterwards about how hard it was to recover.
“I have taken myself to some pretty dark places before. Today was… but look, bowling to win a Test match, if that doesn’t get you excited, I don’t know what does,” he said, speaking to Sky Sports at the post-match presentation.
“With what today was, what was on the line. Yesterday [Saturday] was a bit different. You know, there was still more cricket to be played. And, you know, pulled myself off there. I mean, to be honest, I was absolutely cooked [on day three] as well. But again, today, you know, game was on the line. Nothing was stopping me [carrying on].”
Although Ben Stokes hinted at a return to form with the bat, Lord’s extended his run without a Test fifty to ten innings. He is now averaging 29.18 in 20 Tests since his last hundred, at Lord’s during the 2023 Ashes, but said that his ability to affect games with the ball meant he had little time to dwell on his batting returns.
“I’m an allrounder. I get four opportunities in a Test match to be able to influence the game. And one of the great things about being an allrounder is that if one thing doesn’t quite click, you’ve got an opportunity with the other. And that’s how I look at it.
“Obviously, I would like to be scoring more runs at the moment, but as soon as I’ve got my whites on out there on the field, all my thoughts flip over to bowling. And that’s the great thing about being an allrounder, is that you don’t really have a chance to sort of worry about anything. And everyone knows, I’ll always put in as much as I possibly can.”
Ben Stokes offered particular praise for Jofra Archer, playing in his first Test since 2021. Archer claimed match figures of 5 for 105 in a display of sustained hostility that regularly pushed the speed gun above 90mph/145kph. On day five, six years on from his heroics in the ODI World Cup final, he made the first breakthrough with the key wicket of Pant, and Stokes said he had backed Archer to do something special.
“Yeah, part of the reason I went with Jof this morning, six years ago now to the day. He played a major role and I had a feeling he’d do something special and crack the game open. A bit of discussion, Brydon [Carse] had an amazing spell [last night], but I had a gut feeling that Jof’s going to do something in his first game back.”
This was a slow-burner of a Test, one that occasionally ground to a halt. The finale was more than worth it, a rowdy Monday at a sold-out Lord’s. By the end, England’s win was the tightest in terms of runs at this famous old ground.
It took three days for this match to spring to life. When it did, it was compelling. The deterioration of the pitch helped, but the real catalyst was the tension between the two teams. They are evenly matched and, if anything, India are unlucky to be behind. The last two Tests will be box-office viewing.
England look a better team with fire in their bellies, none more so than Stokes, the arch-competitor. He contributed to this win with bat and in the field, then shouldered the bowling almost single-handedly on the final day.
Ben Stokes was also rewarded for his loyalty to Archer, who made one of the great England comebacks after four years away from Test cricket with injuries. The wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal he took with his third ball back was an incredible moment, his spell on Monday morning final proof he remains every bit the bowler he was in his debut summer of 2019.
England will be forced into one change for the fourth Test at Old Trafford on 23 July, with Bashir out because of a broken finger. India will wait on the fitness of Pant, who also has a finger injury. In this wonderful year of Test cricket, with an Ashes series on the horizon, England are on the verge of winning a five-match series for the first time since 2018.
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