London: Ravindra Jadeja’s heroic effort went in vain as England edged out India by 22 runs on the fifth and final day of a wildly fluctuating third Test with skipper Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer playing pivotal roles here on Monday.
England thus go 2-1 up in the five-match series.
The day started with India requiring 135 runs and England having to pick six wickets after setting the visitors a 193-run target. The hosts got four Indian batters out before lunch but were made to work hard for the remaining two wickets in the last two sessions.
India were finally all out for 170.
Archer (3/55) and Stokes (3/48) were the chief architects of the English victory, even as Jadeja battled hard for India with a gritty unbeaten 61.
India lost the big wickets of Rishabh Pant (9), KL Rahul (39), Washington Sundar (0), and Nitish Reddy (13) in the first session to hand England the advantage.
Lead pacer Archer sent Pant’s off stump for a walk with a jaffa that straightened after landing on the perfect length.
Skipper Stokes rose to the occasion as he trapped KL Rahul in front of the wicket, giving the momentum back to England. The on-field umpire was not convinced by the England team’s loud appeal for an lbw, prompting Stokes to go upstairs and the decision came in his favour.
Jofra was on the money consistently this morning and pulled off a brilliant catch off his own bowling to send back Sundar and Chris Wokes, and then had Washinton Sundar edge one to the keeper.
Their efforts paved the way for England victory.
Brief Scores:
England: 387 and 192.
India: 387 and 170 all out in 74.5 overs (KL Rahul 39, Ravindra Jadeja 61 not out; Jofra Archer 3/55, Ben Stokes 3/48).
