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India vs England : India and England Locked in a Thrilling Battle at Lord’s as Test Heads for a Dramatic Finish The third Test match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Series at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground has turned into a nail-biting affair. With both India and England scoring an identical 387 runs in their first innings, the game now stands on a razor’s edge heading into the fifth day.
The turning point came thanks to Washington Sundar, who dismantled England’s middle and lower order with four crucial wickets in their second innings. His performance, combined with a disciplined Indian bowling attack, has kept England under constant pressure.
India vs England : Mohammed Siraj Leads India’s Bowling Attack with Fiery Spell
Mohammed Siraj once again proved why he’s India’s spearhead in red-ball cricket. His aggressive attitude and sharp seam bowling rattled England’s top order. Siraj removed Ben Duckett with a bouncer and soon trapped Ollie Pope LBW, swinging the momentum in India’s favour.
Although Siraj didn’t pick up more wickets afterward, his economical bowling (with no bowler exceeding a 4.0 economy in either innings) dried up runs and created pressure that benefitted others. He now leads the series with 13 wickets, the most by any bowler so far.
Former legends including Anil Kumble and Kevin Pietersen heaped praise on Siraj. Kumble highlighted his consistency across formats and continents, while Pietersen called him “a wholehearted cricketer who gives his all for every delivery.”
India vs England : Washington Sundar Wrecks England’s Line-up with Stunning Bowling Display
The hero of the fourth day was undoubtedly Washington Sundar, who dismissed Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jamie Smith, and Shoaib Bashir — all bowled — showcasing his ability to target the stumps with precision. His dismissal of Root was especially significant, considering the England batter’s stellar record at Lord’s: over 2,100 runs and eight centuries at the venue.
Sundar credited his success to Jasprit Bumrah’s pressure from the other end, saying, “Stokes was trying to slog-sweep, and I aimed to hit the stumps. That plan worked perfectly.”
Adding to the onslaught, Bumrah cleaned up Brydon Carse with a trademark yorker and dismissed Chris Woakes with a sharp in-swinger. India’s bowlers collectively bowled out 12 England batters across both innings, with five bowled in the first innings and seven in the second — an indicator of their wicket-to-wicket discipline.
England All Out for 192 as Indian Bowlers Dominate
After an intense morning session, England was dismissed for 192, leaving India with a seemingly modest target of 193 runs. However, the Indian batting line-up faltered under pressure, finishing the day at 58/4.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, dismissed for a duck in the second innings, was out playing an ill-timed pull shot off Jofra Archer — just as he was in the first innings. Former cricketer Jonathan Trott suggested that Jaiswal had premeditated the pull, which led to his downfall.
Karun Nair was trapped LBW by a delivery that kept low, while Shubman Gill managed just six runs. Nightwatchman Akash Deep also failed to survive, becoming India’s fourth casualty.
With only 135 runs needed and six wickets in hand, India has the upper hand, but the pressure remains intense.
Karun Nair’s Poor Run Raises Selection Concerns
Karun Nair’s numbers continue to disappoint. With only 117 runs in six innings at an average of 23.40, the middle-order batter is likely to face stiff competition to retain his place in the XI. Cricket pundits believe his repeated failures might cost him his spot for the next match.
Day 4: 14 Wickets Fall as Bowlers Steal the Show at Lord’s
The fourth day saw 14 wickets fall, reaffirming the dominance of the bowlers in this Test. India’s fielding was also sharp — Yashasvi Jaiswal, criticized for dropping catches in the first Test, pulled off a stunner at gully to dismiss Zak Crawley.
Veteran commentators like Harsha Bhogle and Irfan Pathan praised Washington Sundar’s bowling, with Pathan stating that Sundar’s impact in this Test will “weigh heavily on the minds of selectors moving forward.”
What Do the Records Say? Can England Defend Under 200 at Lord’s?
Historically, Lord’s has rarely seen successful defenses of targets below 200. Out of 149 Tests played here, only three teams have managed to defend sub-200 scores:
- Australia (1888): Defended 124 and bowled England out for 62.
- England (1955): Defended 183 against South Africa, winning by 71 runs.
- England (2019): Bowled out Ireland for 38 while defending 182.
Given the rarity of such victories, England’s chances of defending 193 look slim — unless their bowlers produce something extraordinary on Day 5.
Washington Sundar Confident of Victory; Experts Expect a Result
Post-stumps, Sundar stated confidently, “We will win after lunch tomorrow.” He credited his preparation with Gautam Gambhir and emphasized the importance of adapting to English conditions.
Former India captain Anil Kumble stressed the importance of KL Rahul playing a pivotal knock on Day 5, while Michael Vaughan admitted the game took a sudden twist when Carse got Nair out and the collapse began.
Final Day Set for Grand Showdown at Lord’s
As the fifth day begins, India needs 135 runs, while England must take six wickets to level the series. Regardless of the outcome, a result is almost certain — and the winner will take a 2-1 lead in the Anderson-Tendulkar Series.
India vs England Test 2025, Lord’s Test Match, Washington Sundar wickets, Mohammed Siraj bowling, Joe Root at Lord’s, Jasprit Bumrah yorker, England vs India 3rd Test, Karun Nair batting form, KL Rahul batting, India win prediction, Lord’s Test match stats, Anil Kumble on Siraj, Michael Vaughan on match
