New Delhi: The stakes couldn’t be higher for India as they head into the fourth Test against England in Manchester: trailing 1-2 in the five-match series, they have to win the next Test to level the series.
However, Team India is hamstrung because some of its players have been ruled out because of a growing list of injuries.
All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is out for the rest of the England Tests following a knee injury, while left-arm paceman Arshdeep Singh will also miss the Manchester test due to an impact injury to his left thumb while bowling in the nets at a training session. The Indian management remains tight-lipped on Jasprit Bumrah playing the fourth Test.
But with both Arshdeep and Akash Deep struggling with injuries, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will have no other option but to turn to Bumrah. Medium pacer Anshul Kamboj has already been added as an injury cover to the squad for the Manchester Test, which begins Wednesday (23 July).
To add to India’s worries, the threat of rain is also looming over the fourth Test of the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
With the series on the line and victory the need of the hour, the fourth Test is a do-or-die contest for India, who narrowly lost the third Test at Lord’s, London, falling short by just 22 runs.
Chasing a target of 193, India was bowled out for 170. Ravindra Jadeja fought valiantly with an unbeaten 61, emerging as the top scorer. Despite a collapse at the top, the lower order, led by Jadeja, mounted a gritty resistance.
Bowling with a fractured finger, spinner Shoaib Bashir claimed the final wicket, dismissing Mohammed Siraj and sealing the match for England.
The Lord’s win marked England’s narrowest Test victory on the ground in terms of runs. Earlier, the record was held by Australia’s 43-run win over England in 2023. It was also India’s fourth-smallest margin of defeat in men’s Test cricket.
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The 387 tie
After England won the toss and opted to bat first at Lord’s, openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett provided a steady start, but their progress was abruptly halted in the 13th over when Nitish Kumar Reddy dismissed both within three deliveries.
The spotlight shifted to Joe Root, who anchored England’s innings with 104, his 37th Test century, becoming the active player with the most Test tons. His dismissal by Bumrah came just as he had laid a strong foundation for England.
Quick contributions followed: Ollie Pope and Ben Stokes added brisk 44 runs, while Jamie Smith (51 off 56) and Brydon Carse (56 off 83) kept the scoreboard ticking, helping England post 387 by Day 2 stumps.
For India, Bumrah led the charge with a fiery spell, removing Stokes, Root and Woakes in quick succession. With 13 five-wicket hauls in away Tests, Bumrah not only surpassed Kapil Dev’s 12, but also became the only Indian bowler with four such hauls in England. His 47 Test wickets in the country place him just behind Ishant Sharma (51).
In reply, India ended Day 2 at 145/3 in 43 overs, with K.L. Rahul unbeaten on 53. He later reached his 10th Test century on Day 3, his second of the series, before falling to Shoaib Bashir on 100 off 177 balls. Rahul became the 18th Indian cricketer to score double-digit Test centuries.
Rishabh Pant added 74 before getting run-out by Ben Stokes. While Ravindra Jadeja looked poised to shift the balance, he got caught down the leg side by Chris Woakes for 72.
India’s tail collapsed, losing the final four wickets for just 11 runs, resulting in a total of 387 —tying England’s first-innings score.
Woakes finished with three wickets, while Jofra Archer marked his return to the Tests with 2/52.
As shadows lengthened, Zak Crawley resorted to deliberate time-wasting to limit England’s exposure, facing just one over from Bumrah. Tempers flared, words were exchanged, and Crawley’s theatrics paid off as England closed the day at 2/0.
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14 wickets in a day
Day 4 at Lord’s was a bowler’s buffet and everyone was on the menu. No bias. No mercy. Fourteen wickets fell like dominoes, with England losing 10 and India chipping in with four of their own.
India’s pacers came out firing in the morning. Mohammed Siraj was on the mark with a tight seven-over spell that earned him two wickets.
Ben Duckett was the first to fall, pulling straight to Bumrah at mid-on. Siraj, fired up, gave him a loud send-off, keeping the heat from the previous day alive. He then trapped Ollie Pope LBW, though it took a review to confirm the decision. Pope was dismissed for 4 off 17.
Nitish Kumar Reddy got Crawley out for the second time in the match. Though Harry Brook tried to counterattack, hitting Akash Deep for two consecutive fours and a six, his stay was brief. After a quickfire 23 off 19 balls, a failed sweep attempt saw Akash Deep uproot his middle stump.
Post-lunch, India introduced spin, and Washington Sundar made an instant impact. He bowled Joe Root with a skiddy delivery that slid under the bat, breaking a 67-run stand with Stokes. Root’s 40 turned out to be England’s top score and it also broke his hat-trick of big knocks at Lord’s, which included three consecutive centuries.
Bumrah, who had bowled tirelessly, was finally rewarded with two wickets: Carse fell to a perfect yorker on leg stump, and Woakes was undone by one that just kissed the leg bail.
But, all in all, it was Washington Sundar who finished with outstanding figures of 4 for 22, including the wickets of Smith, Stokes, Woakes and Bashir. His spell was the best performance by an Indian spinner at Lord’s since 1974.
England lost their last four wickets for just 11 runs, and the last six for 38.
India needed just 193 runs to take the lead in the series, a seemingly manageable chase. However, in the final 30 minutes of Day 4, England wrested back control of the match.
Jofra Archer struck early, dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal for a duck, while Brydon Carse followed up by removing Karun Nair and Shubman Gill in quick succession, finishing with figures of 2 for 11 in just four overs.
Ben Stokes capped the day by clean bowling nightwatchman Akash Deep with the final delivery, leaving India reeling at 58/4.
Also Read: Lord’s Test hangs in balance after India match England’s first innings score
Indian batting collapse
On the final day, India’s batting lineup failed to recover from the damage inflicted during the last session of Day 4.
K.L. Rahul initially showed signs of resistance, scoring 39 off 58 balls, but his dismissal, as he got trapped LBW by Stokes, tilted the momentum back in England’s favour. Ravindra Jadeja stood firm at one end, but wickets continued to tumble at the other.
Seven Indian batters were dismissed for single-digit scores or ducks, with brief contributions from Nitish Kumar Reddy (13) and Karun Nair (14) doing little to stabilise the innings.
With just one wicket remaining, Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj appeared to be steering India toward what could have been a dramatic comeback win. Siraj survived 29 balls before falling to Shoaib Bashir.
As the ball bounced more than expected, it took the edge off Siraj’s bat and spun back to hit the leg stump. While England celebrated a hard-fought victory, Jadeja and Siraj were visibly emotional and disappointed.
India were bowled out for 170, with Jofra Archer (3/55) and Ben Stokes (3/48) being the chief architects of the downfall.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)