Heartbreak at Lord’s! England Snatch Victory from Jadeja’s Grasp in Final Over Thriller
LONDON: In a finish that will echo through Lord’s hallowed corridors for years, England snatched a pulsating 22-run victory over India on a nerve-shredding final day of the third Test. The win, sealed with just minutes to spare late on Monday, propels England to a 2-1 lead in the enthralling five-match series, leaving a defiant Ravindra Jadeja stranded and a nation heartbroken.
The scene was pure theatre. With shadows lengthening and tension thick enough to cut, young off-spinner Shoaib Bashir sent down a delivery to India’s last man, Mohammed Siraj. Siraj prodded defensively, only to watch in agonizing disbelief as the ball trickled down the face of his bat, rolled agonizingly slowly, and finally kissed the off-stump. Bedlam erupted as England’s players converged in ecstatic celebration, the weight of an epic struggle lifted.
At the other end, the magnificent Ravindra Jadeja trudged off, unbeaten on a valiant 61. For nearly two hours, he had carried India’s fading hopes on his shoulders, inching them towards an improbable target of 193 after they had been reduced to a seemingly hopeless 112 for 8 at lunch. Partnering first with Jasprit Bumrah and then Siraj, Jadeja displayed immense courage and tactical nous, absorbing pressure and farming the strike masterfully.
The Great Escape That Almost Was:
India’s resurrection began with Jadeja and Bumrah defying England’s attack in a gritty, hour-long stand. Hope surged for India when Jadeja survived a huge LBW appeal off Chris Woakes. Given out on-field, he reviewed instantly. Replays showed the ball missing leg stump, and the decision was overturned. In a moment of pure defiance, the left-hander then heaved Woakes’ very next ball over mid-wicket for a soaring six, sending the Indian fans into raptures.
England finally broke the dangerous stand when Bumrah (5), attempting a pull off the relentless Ben Stokes, skied the ball high. Substitute fielder Sam Cook held the crucial catch under immense pressure. The majority of the packed Lord’s crowd erupted – a mixture of overwhelming joy and palpable relief.
But Jadeja wasn’t done. He reached a painstaking, vital half-century off 150 balls, edging Stokes over the slips for four. With Siraj showing remarkable defiance, surviving 30 balls despite taking a painful blow to the shoulder from Jofra Archer, Jadeja expertly shielded the number 11, taking singles off the fourth or fifth ball of almost every over. The target crept closer. The tension became almost unbearable.
England’s Early Stranglehold:
The final day had begun with England firmly in control after a devastating morning session. India’s chase started disastrously. Rishabh Pant (9) provided a glimpse of his brilliance with an audacious one-handed straight drive off Archer for four, only for the speedster to retaliate brutally two balls later, uprooting his off-stump with a searing delivery.
Captain Stokes, channeling his warrior spirit, trapped KL Rahul (39) plumb LBW. When the umpire initially shook his head, Stokes dropped to his knees, imploring. The review confirmed his conviction, triggering huge cheers. Washington Sundar fell without scoring, Archer taking a stunning one-handed return catch leaping to his right. Just before lunch, Woakes found the edge of Nitish Kumar Reddy (15), ending a stubborn 30-run stand with Jadeja, giving England that crucial momentum going into the break.
The Verdict:
This was Test cricket at its absolute zenith. A day of simmering tension, extraordinary skill, heart-stopping resistance, and ultimately, crushing finality. England, led by Stokes’ passionate captaincy and key contributions across the attack (Woakes, Archer, Bashir, Stokes), held their nerve when it mattered most. But the enduring image is of Jadeja, the lone warrior, left unbeaten and utterly spent, his heroic effort falling just agonizingly short. The series, beautifully poised at 2-1, now heads to its next chapter with everything still to play for. Lord’s witnessed a classic.