Virat Kohli’s Indian cricket team won a superb Test match at Lord’s by 151 runs with just seven overs to spare to go 1-0 up in the five-match Test series.
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The Indian cricket team gave the country a belated 75th Independence Day gift by beating England at the home of cricket in their own backyard. KL Rahul’s century, combined with a brilliant tail-end partnership between Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah put India in a winning position. The Indian bowlers, in particular, Mohammad Siraj, Bumrah, Shami, and Ishant Sharma operated like a well-oiled machine to give India a memorable win.
This was only the third win for India at Lord’s in the last 89 years. The Indian cricket team had registered wins at the home of cricket in 1986, 2014 and now in 2021. In the 2014 Test, it was Ishant Sharma’s 7/74 as well as Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 6/82 and Ajinkya Rahane’s 103 that helped India win. During the 1986 Test, it was Dilip Vengsarkar’s century and Kapil Dev’s bowling that helped them win a Test at Lord’s for the first time.
In the aftermath of the Test, here are some of the factors that helped India clinch the memorable Test win at Lord’s.
The tone was possibly set on the first day when KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma shared a solid opening stand. Under dark clouds and a fresh pitch, the application shown by Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul was simply brilliant. Rahul took his time and weathered the conditions at one end. Rohit, on the other hand, looked in confident touch. When Rahul had gotten his eye in, he decided to accelerate. Although Rohit missed out on his century, Rahul went on and became the first Lord’s centurion in 31 years to score a century in the opening slot. Rahul’s 126-run stand with Rohit and a 117-run partnership with Virat Kohli gave India a decent total.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have been facing immense criticism for the last couple of series. The contributions from Pujara and Rahane have been very minimal. With an average of under 24 for the last 10 innings, the pressure to axe them from the squad was immense. But, when the situation demanded, Pujara and Rahane stepped up. Once again, if one ignores the obsession with big numbers, the contribution of Pujara and Rahane set India on the course of winning the Test match. Pujara once again ground the England bowlers, which is probably what dulled their attack when trying to remove the tail. Rahane’s 61 and his stand of 100 with Pujara is the key for India getting into a winning position.
When England had built a lead and was trying to extend it, the Indian bowlers sprung into action. Jasprit Bumrah unleashed a bouncer barrage at James Anderson. By targeting the most experienced England player in his ‘own backyard’, India was dictating terms. Bumrah was unleashing a bouncer barrage and England was clearly rattled. The meltdown that Anderson had, as well as the volley of abuse being directed between Virat Kohli and Anderson, was a sign that cracks were starting to develop.
Before the start of the series, the Indian tail was considered the easiest to knock over. The collapse of the tail in the ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand was an indicator that how fragile the tail was. But, in Trent Bridge and Lord’s, the Indian tail has wagged to such an extent that they came to a winning position.
In Lord’s on the fifth day, India was ahead by only 154 runs. It was a middling situation that could have gone in either way. Rishabh Pant was dismissed cheaply but in stepped Mohammed Shami and Bumrah. Joe Root’s captaincy took a backseat and he allowed Bumrah and Shami to score quick runs. England tried the bouncer barrage but both handled it brilliantly. When they were hit on the helmet, they were not intimidated. England knew that the horse had bolted. Shami and Bumrah found the gaps and hit boundaries at will. The 89-run stand for the ninth wicket ensured India held the entire advantage.
The Indian pace bowling quartet is assuming the shape of the best in the business. Bumrah, Shami, Ishant, and Mohammed Siraj are simply magnificent. Siraj, in particular, was the star in the first innings as he took four wickets. In the second innings, he repeated the dose with a hostile spell in the middle. Ishant took two wickets while Bumrah responded with three. The ability of the Indian pacers to hunt in packs was simply out on display. In all of India’s overseas wins, the bowlers and the depth of their consistency have ensured that India’s bowlers have taken the conditions out of the equation.
Joe Root has scored 21 percent of England’s runs in Tests in 2021. Whenever Root has scored a century, England have remained afloat. In the three Tests in which he scored two double tons and a century in Sri Lanka and India, Root was the key factor. In Lord’s, it was the brilliance of Root that ensured England had a lead. But, when he fell cheaply in the second innings, India had simply found an opening. The England openers have failed consistently and with Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler not performing consistently, the plan is simple. Get Root and any opposition can have a chance.
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