Second Test Day 5: Ruthless Bowlers Drive India to Comprehensive 151-Run Win
Mohammed Siraj picked 4 wickets as India defeated England by 151 runs at Lord's.
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India’s pacers, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami, bowled their hearts out in the final two sessions and took the team to massive 151-run win at Lord’s against England.
India took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Siraj picked 4 wickets and Bumrah bagged 3 as England were bowled out for 120.
Siraj picked up the wickets of Jos Buttler and James Anderson in the 52nd over to roll over the opposition in grand style.
But before Bumrah and Shami led the way with the ball, they put on a 89-run partnership for the 9th wicket before India declared, asking England to chase a target of 272.
India had started off Day 5 with a lead of 154 and 6 wickets in the hut. Rishabh Pant and Ishant Sharma were the overnight batters for the visitors.
The visitors began the day in their least favoured manner as Rishabh Pant was dismissed by Ollie Robinson for 22. Pant’s overnight batting partner, Ishant Sharma too walked back to the hut soon after, trapped LBW by Robinson for 16.
Bumrah and Shami started off their partnership with plenty of grit and a few streaky boundaries.
However, a few words between Bumrah and the England camp, specifically Mark Wood and Jos Buttler, and a bouncer to the helmet seemingly revved him up as he dropped anchor and Joe Root’s worries started increasing.
The duo continued to pile on the agony as the lights continued to stay on during an overcast session. Shami and Bumrah, both played some fantastic shots with Shami pulling out a couple of sumptuous cover drives and a loft over mid on as the visitors inched closer to a lead of 250.
Shami took a liking to the bowling of Moeen Ali and danced down the track, hammering him over mid-on at least thrice, with one being a 92m six that got the batter his half-century.
The duo batted out the session, putting India in control. India batted for about 15 minutes in the second session before Virat Kohli declared with the lead at 271.
Back out on the field, this time ball in hand, a fired up Bumrah struck in the very first over when Rory Burns was caught at short cover by Mohammed Siraj for 0.
Off the second over of the England innings, Mohammed Shami struck too and sent Dom Sibley packing for 0 as he edged one to Rishabh Pant. England at 1/2 had Joe Root walking out.
Never before have England lost both their openers for a duck each in a home Test.
Root and Haseeb Hameed proceeded to steady the ship, absorbing the pressure and playing out the next hour cautiously. However in the 16th over, Hameed was trapped LBW by Ishant Sharma for 9 off 45 balls. England with three in hut were in a fair bit of bother.
Jonny Bairstow and Root dug deep and looked to play time, using all their experience to try and thwart an upbeat Indian attack.
Kohli however was relentless in keeping up the pressure and intensity, which finally paid dividend. On the last delivery off the session, Ishant struck Bairstow on the knee roll and a DRS from Kohli worked in India's favour.
England went into the Tea break at 67/4, with Root unbeaten on 33.
India had their tails up in the final session and Bumrah struck in the very first over, getting the edge of Root which Virat Kohli took sharply. Root was dismissed for 33.
Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali resisted for a while as they tried to defend their way out of trouble. But a 2-run partnership was broken when Mohammed Siraj had Ali edging to Virat Kohli in the slips, who held on this time.
Off the next delivery, Siraj had Sam Curran walking back to the pavilion for a king pair as England were reduced to 90/7. Ollie Robinson negotiated the hat-trick ball amidst quite some chatter from the Indian fielders.
Buttler and Ollie Robinson then tried their best to hold their nerve and bat it out but midway through the final hour, India struck. Bumrah with a slower one from round the wicket trapped Robinson LBW for 9.
Soon after, Buttler's resistance ended on 25 as Siraj had him caught behind and a few deliveries later the James Anderson's woodwork was disturbed as India romped home to a thumping win at Lord's.
Day 4 Wrap
India lost three of their wickets in quick succession and ended Day Four of the second Test match at Lord's against England at 181-6, with a lead of 154 runs.
The diminishing light forced the floodlights to be switched on. Joe Root had the option of taking the new ball but delayed his decision. When he eventually decided to take the new ball to bring on his pacers, the umpires decided to walk off. A few more overs could have been bowled if England had stuck with their spinners.
Rishabh Pant, 14 not out from 29 balls, and Ishant Sharma, 4 not out from 10 balls, were at the crease at stumps on Day Four.
Before that, it was the resistance of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane that kept England from rolling over the Indians in the second innings. The duo played 206 and 146 deliveries respectively while the likes of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli departed cheaply in the morning session.
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