England Triumph at Lord’s in Thriller, Take 2–1 Series Lead Over India

England held their nerve in a dramatic fifth-day finish at Lord’s to beat India by 22 runs, taking a 2–1 lead in the five-Test series.

Chasing just 193 for victory, India fell agonisingly short despite being within striking distance at 170 all out. The match had been finely balanced after both teams posted identical first-innings totals of 387, leaving the second innings to decide the contest.

England, batting second, managed 192, setting India a tricky fourth-innings target. Though modest on paper, the chase was anything but easy on a deteriorating fifth-day Lord’s pitch under relentless English bowling.

India were under pressure almost immediately, especially after KL Rahul’s dismissal. Rahul, who had scored a century in the first innings, managed 39 in the second but couldn’t see his team home.

India also pinned hopes on Rishabh Pant, but he fell for just 9 to a searing full-length delivery from Jofra Archer, who made a big impact on his return to Test cricket after four years. From 71 for 4, India crumbled to 82 for 7 in a collapse that swung the match decisively.

Ravindra Jadeja, continuing his remarkable consistency this series, fought hard. He stood firm at one end, eventually reaching an unbeaten 61, despite losing partners regularly. When India were 147 for 9, they still needed 46 runs to win, but Jadeja’s calm presence kept England on edge.

Mohammed Siraj offered dogged support, eating up deliveries while India’s hopes rested on Jadeja. But just when tension peaked, young off-spinner Shoaib Bashir—who had spent much of the match off the field with a finger injury—delivered the telling blow. He bowled Siraj through the narrowest of gaps, the ball brushing the inside edge onto the stumps just hard enough to dislodge the bail. Siraj looked stunned, while England erupted in celebration.

Key to England’s win were their pacers. Ben Stokes once again proved invaluable with 3 crucial wickets, breaking India’s middle order. Archer, back at his fearsome best, took 3 wickets across three aggressive spells, removing both Pant and Sundar at key moments.

For India, the defeat was especially painful given the first-innings parity. Despite matching England’s 387, they couldn’t capitalise. Apart from Jadeja, India’s top and middle order struggled for consistency, leaving the team with questions to answer before the remaining Tests.

Meanwhile, England’s win maintained their remarkable home dominance at Lord’s, where they remain unbeaten since 2019.