WATCH: Siraj erupts in celebration after picking up last England wicket
It was a riveting day’s play on day five of this second Test match between England and India at Lord’s. While there was a lot of banter and chatter on the field throughout the day, the quality of cricket was top-notch as well. And Virat Kohli and co in particular, was simply outstanding.
India entered the day under quite a bit of pressure. They were 181/6 and had a lead of 154 runs. Rishabh Pant fell early while Ishant Sharma didn’t last long either and India were reduced to 209/8. With a lead of 182 runs, India were below par and were in trouble big time.
However, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah recorded a fabulous 89-run stand which remained unbeaten. Shami smashed a half-century (56) while Bumrah contributed with a defiant 34 which helped India stretch their lead to 271 as they finished with a score of 298/8 as Kohli declared just after Lunch.
WATCH: Virat Kohli mocks Ollie Robinson for battling to save a Test
The Indian pace attack was fired up and they came all guns blazing. Bumrah and Shami got a wicket each in the first two overs of the innings before Ishant Sharma’s double-strike pegged England back on the stroke of Tea. Heading into the final session at 67/4, England were under pressure. However, they had their skipper Joe Root batting on 33 and he was the arguably the only one who was standing between India and victory.
Bumrah came back and dismissed the England captain in the very first over after Tea to open up the game for India. India missed a few opportunities. Kohli dropped Jos Buttler on 2 while Ravindra Jadeja had Moeen Ali caught-behind off a no-ball. After those two chances, Buttler and Ali defied India for nearly 16 overs. The runs didn’t come but the duo batted stoically and denied India breakthroughs.
However, India hit back with Mohammed Siraj picking up wickets off back to back deliveries to send back Ali and Sam Curran back to the dressing room. Ollie Robinson joined Buttler and offered resistance. But Bumrah foxed Robinson with a slower one before Siraj got the big scalp of Buttler.
Three balls after having Buttler caught behind, Siraj knocked over James Anderson to help India record a famous win at Lord’s. Almost every Indian fielder was around the bat as Siraj went full and straight to go through the defence of Anderson to send the Indian team into jubilation. Once the stumps were rattled, the entire Indian team celebrated and roared in style.
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have pulled off a miraculous win at the Home of Cricket to go 1-0 up in the series
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Virat Kohli was his animated self and was fist-pumping while Siraj took off as he ran away with a stump in hand. There were hugs and high-fives all around as this was just the third time India recorded a Test win at Lord’s.
It was a superb bowling effort from the Indian pace attack, especially in the second innings. They had 60 overs to bowl England out on the final day and all they needed was 51.5 overs. Siraj finished with four wickets while Bumrah took three. Ishant had two while Shami returned with one.
They won by 151 runs as they went 1-0 up in this five-match series with three Test matches to go. The teams move to Headingley, Leeds from here but there is a 9-day gap between the two Test matches.