What happened on Day 5 of England vs India, 3rd Test? All you need to know

Team India began Day Five of the ongoing Lord’s Test needing 135 runs with six wickets in hand, with KL Rahul unbeaten on 33 and Rishabh Pant joining him at the crease. Given the way England bowled late on Day Four, it was expected that the first session would decide the match. But few fans expected the kind of drama that followed.

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India had a terrible start. Pant was dismissed for just 9, Rahul for 39, and Washington Sundar fell for a four-ball duck. Jofra Archer bowled with fiery pace, troubling the batters and celebrating animatedly in their faces. With three quick wickets, India suddenly slumped to 82/7.

Nitish Kumar Reddy then joined Ravindra Jadeja, and the duo tried to rebuild. But just before lunch, Reddy was dismissed by Chris Woakes for 13 off 53. Their 30-run stand came to an end, and it looked like India’s defeat was only a matter of time.

After the break, India showed an unexpected fightback through Jasprit Bumrah and Jadeja. India's tail has often faced criticism for poor batting, especially compared to England’s. But this time, Bumrah stood tall. He faced 54 balls for 5 runs, showing incredible grit and frustrating the England bowlers.

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Bumrah and Jadeja added 35 crucial runs before Bumrah was dismissed. At Tea, India were 163/9, with Jadeja unbeaten on 56 and Mohammed Siraj on 2. Only 30 runs were needed, and fans started believing in a miracle. Every block, every single was cheered as the equation came down to 23 runs.

A heartbreaking end

Then came heartbreak. In the 75th over, Siraj went on the back foot to defend a ball from Shoaib Bashir. He used soft hands, but the ball rolled back and just dislodged one bail. The brave fight ended in the most unfortunate manner.

Siraj (4 off 30) was gutted, head down, as England players came over to pat both him and Jadeja on the back—a gesture of respect for a spirited effort. Jadeja remained unbeaten on 61 off 181, but India fell short by 22 runs.

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With this win, England took a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Ben Stokes was named Player of the Match for his all-round performance. The fourth Test begins on 23 July at Old Trafford, Manchester.

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