England vs India: Ben Stokes' side produce sensational effort to beat tourists in gripping third Test at Lord's
England captain Ben Stokes (3-48) and Jofra Archer (3-55) both took three-wicket hauls; England now lead five-match series 2-1; watch the fourth Test live on Sky Sports Cricket from Wednesday, 23 July at 10am (11am first ball)
Tuesday 15 July 2025 05:58, UK
England secured a thrilling 22-run victory in the third Test to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series against India as Shoaib Bashir produced a scintillating finish by bowling Mohammed Siraj’s leg stump with a delivery that rolled back to dislodge his stumps.
Resuming on 58-4 and chasing 193 for victory, England took three wickets in the first 30 minutes of play with Jofra Archer (3-55) bowling Rishabh Pant (9) and then completing an impeccable catch in his follow-through to see off Washington Sundar (0), while captain Ben Stokes (3-48) trapped KL Rahul (39) leg-before.
Nitish Kumar Reddy (13) and Ravindra Jadeja (61no) added 30 runs for the eighth wicket partnership, but Chris Woakes (1-21) had the former nick behind on the stroke of lunch, leaving India 112-8 and needing 81 to win.
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Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah (5 off 54) persisted through England's short-ball tactics, sharing a 35-run stand, before the latter was tempted into a pull shot by Stokes, with substitute fielder Sam Cook pouching it safely at mid-on.
The resistance from India's lower order was commendable as Jadeja brought up his fourth consecutive half-century to bring the required total down to 30 at tea, but an injured Bashir (1-6) bowled Siraj (4), with the ball rolling between his legs and dislodging the stumps to wrap up a gripping day.
Persistent England manage to break stubborn India
Pant (9) hit Archer for a couple of boundaries at the start of the day, but the England quick responded by sending his off-stump cartwheeling with a delivery that straightened past the outside edge.
Skipper Stokes then trapped Rahul in front, and after an imploring review that was ignored, he took it upstairs, with Hawk Eye confirming the ball would crash into middle and leg.
Archer struck again with a stunning one-handed grab in his follow-through to remove Sundar for a four-ball duck, leaving India 82-7 and still needing 111 runs.
India’s tail managed to cobble together a lower-order partnership with Jadeja and Reddy guiding the tourists to 95-7 at drinks.
The tensions between the two sides continued to escalate when Jadeja barged into Carse in the 35th over while running down the track, and the pair exchanged words, with Stokes separating the two.
Woakes had Reddy nick behind on the stroke of lunch to give England another lift, with the opposition faltering on 112-8 and head coach Brendon McCullum applauding his team's efforts.
Bumrah and Jadeja offered stubborn resistance after lunch with the sell-out Lord’s crowd who leaned heavily in India’s favour, cheering every block and boundary.
England thought they had another wicket in the 48th over when Woakes pinned Jadeja leg-before and the on-field umpire gave it out, but a review handed India a lifeline with impact outside the line, and the India No 7 then smashed him for six over deep midwicket.
The pair persisted, though, taking India to 147-8 before Stokes, who bowled a ten-over spell, managed to find the breakthrough in the 62nd over with a short ball that Bumrah pulled to Cook at mid-on.
Jadeja's fight continued as he brought up his fourth consecutive half-century, cutting Stokes over the slip cordon for four before tea.
Archer struck Siraj on his shoulder with a sharp bouncer as the hosts continued to look for a way to break the last-wicket stand.
It was, remarkably, the injured Bashir who brought the breakthrough when Siraj blocked him and the ball went through his legs to crash into the stumps to stun Lord's.
It was a fitting finale to what has been a thrilling Test match, made even more sentimental by being played on the six-year anniversary of England’s famous World Cup victory in 2019 at the same venue where Archer bowled the famous Super Over.
Stokes: Archer cracked game open for England
England captain and player of the match Ben Stokes:
"Part of the reason why I went with Archer this morning was [because of it being six years to the day since England's World Cup win at Lord's].
"Jof played a big role in that and I just had one of those feelings he would do something special. He cracked the game open with his wickets.
"I had this gut feeling something was going to happen. Sometimes your gut works, I guess."
Gill 'tremendously proud' of India
India captain Shubman Gill:
"I am so proud. This is as close as a Test match can get. It comes down to the last session, the last wicket, so I am tremendously proud.
"I was confident this morning but we weren't able to have partnerships and England played better than us.
"I think the last hour last night we could have applied ourselves better.
"The series scorecard doesn't really reflect things. We have played some good cricket and it is going to be exciting from now on."
Watch the fourth Test between England and India at Lord's, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event on Wednesday, 23 July, with coverage from 10am ahead of the first ball at 11am, or stream without a contract.
England vs India - results and schedule
All games at 11am UK and Ireland; all on Sky Sports
- First Test (Headingley) - England won by five wickets
- Second Test (Edgbaston) - India won by 336 runs
- Third Test (Lord's): England won by 22 runs
- Fourth Test (Emirates Old Trafford): July 23-27
- Fifth Test (The Kia Oval): July 31-August 4
