England had the last laugh in the third Test as they managed to secure a hard-fought 22-run win at Lord's on July 14. India while chasing a 193-run target on Day 5, put on a strong fight riding on Ravindra Jadeja's resilient 61 and Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah's blockathon. With this win England have taken a 2-1 lead in the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series.Resuming their innings at 58/4 on the final day, India faced a formidable challenge from England's pace bowlers, finding themselves eight wickets down by the lunch break. However, Ravindra displayed remarkable grit, scoring an unbeaten 61 off 181 balls. Despite his heroic effort and support from the lower order, India fell just short of a miraculous victory, eventually being bowled out for 170 in 74.5 overs.
We needed a couple of partnerships in the top order: Shubman Gill
Meanwhile, right after the match, India captain Shubman Gill rued team's heartbreaking defeat. He admitted India failed to form partnership which eventually cost them big. India lost the three key wickets on Day 4 in Yashasvi Jaiswal (0), Karun Nair (14) and Shubman Gill (6). KL Rahul did chip with in crucial 39 but Jofra Archer took his wicket to leave India in a precarious position. Rishabh Pant (9), Washington Sundar (0) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (13) too couldn't contribute much with the bat. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj did instilled hope of a victory for India with their blockathon. But even Bumrah's 54-ball 5 and Siraj's 30-ball 4 couldn't save India from going down to England
"Extremely proud, as close as Test cricket gets. Pretty confident this morning, plenty batting left this morning, we needed a couple of partnerships in the top order, we couldn't do that, they played better than us. But there's always hope. Target wasn't massive, one partnership and back in the game. Jaddu very experienced, no messages, just wanted him and the tail to keep batting. A lead in first innings would have been crucial for us. Things turned quickly, last hour we could have applied ourselves better, and this morning they came up with plans. The series score doesn't reflect how we've played," Gill said in the post-match presentation.
Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer were the wrecker-in-chief for England as they chipped with three wickets each. Brydon Carse contributed with two scalps, while Chris Woakes and Shoaib Bashir, bowling with an injured finger, each claimed one wicket. England's victory was a testament to their relentless effort and unwavering patience, remarkably occurring on the same day, six years prior, that they won the ODI World Cup at Lord's. The match was closely contested throughout, with both teams scoring 387 runs in their respective first innings, and England being bowled out for 192 in their second innings.
The final session of the Test match was filled with palpable tension. Jadeja and Siraj cautiously added runs, looking for singles and defending resolutely, inching India closer to the target. However, with just one ball remaining in the 75th over, Bashir managed to spin a delivery back sharply, which struck Siraj's bat before rolling onto the stumps, dislodging the leg-stump bail. This moment sparked scenes of jubilation for England and brought an end to India's spirited resistance, securing a dramatic victory for the home side.