Lord’s Test: Ravindra Jadeja batted for 30 overs, but England win by 22 runs in a nail-biter

It doesn’t matter if you are Indian or not, every cricket fan must have felt bad for Ravindra Jadeja after watching such a resilient knock on the fifth day of the Test match at Lord’s. Despite having just two wickets left after the first session, Jadeja believed he could pull this off. He didn’t change his approach. He kept grinding it out, taking the odd singles and doubles, and didn’t miss out on the chance to score boundaries. Jadeja batted for 30 overs in the fourth innings for his spectacular knock of 61 runs off 181 balls, including 4 fours and a six. 

The 30-run partnership with Nitish for the eighth wicket kept India’s hopes alive. But, once Reddy got out, everyone could sense that India’s defeat wasn’t too far. But Jadeja kept the game alive. Along with Bumrah, Jadeja added 35 more runs as the ninth wicket stand. Ben Stokes, who bowled two marathon spells in the day, eventually broke the partnership by bowling a perfect bouncer to Jasprit Bumrah. 

A determined and well fought innings

Took #TeamIndia close

Chin up, Ravindra Jadeja 👍 👍

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/X4xIDiSmBg#ENGvIND | @imjadeja pic.twitter.com/jGpfgHAeNM

— BCCI (@BCCI) July 14, 2025

As a result of that wicket, tea was pushed half an hour back. But England couldn’t take the last wicket. At the end of the second session, India had scored 163 with 30 runs needed and just one wicket in hand. India added seven runs more in the final session before Shoaib Bashir picked the final wicket and sprinted in celebration. Siraj defended a ball that turned sharply but the ball rolled back onto the leg stump. Jadeja was left stranded on 61 off 181 with disappointment on his face.    

India lost the Lord’s Test match by 22 runs. 

What happened on Day 4? 

Led by Washington Sundar’s four-fer, India bundled England out for 192 in their second innings on day 4. With both teams having scored 387 each in their first innings, India were set a target of 193 to win at Lord’s. 

The hosts needed to pick early wickets with the new ball and they did exactly that. Jofra Archer sent Yashasvi Jaiswal cheaply for the second consecutive time in the Test match, while Karun Nair's resistance lasted 33 balls. India found themselves under serious pressure after they lost their captain Shubman Gill (6) late in the evening. To pile further pressure on the visitors, the nightwatchman Akash Deep was also sent back on the final ball of day 4. 

At stumps on the fourth evening, India’s score read 58 for 4, needing 135 more runs to win the Test match, while England required six wickets. 

England rips into India’s batting in the first session on Day 5: 

Rishabh Pant scored two boundaries off Jofra Archer in the morning but Archer was charged up and looked more animated than he usually is. He bowled a beauty - the one that Pant had no answer to. A fast delivery angled in and then straightened and the stumps went flying. England got the wicket of Rishabh Pant, who could have taken the game away in no time. 

The ball was still quite hard and it was nipping around. And that was all Archer needed to pile pressure on the opposition. He bowled consistently at 140 clicks and aimed to bowl at the good length area more often. Ben Stokes, on the other hand, looked in great rhythm and wasn’t too worried about bowling a longer spell. 

KL Rahul, who, unarguably, looked the best batter in the Test match, fell to a nip-backer from Stokes. The Indian opener wasn’t expecting the ball to jag back in that much as he was trapped leg-before. Washington Sundar, who was confident of India chasing down the target, didn’t last long either. Jofra Archer took a one-handed stunner off his bowling to send the Indian all-rounder back. England picked up three wickets inside the first hour with Archer and Stokes doing the heavy lifting. 

Nitish Reddy, Jadeja showed resistance but the former falls at the stroke of Lunch

Nitish Reddy then joined hands with Ravindra Jadeja and the duo fought hard to rebuild. They blocked solidly, left the ball when needed, and kept rotating the strike. That eighth-wicket partnership helped India reduce the deficit to 81. They batted for close to 15 overs, however, Reddy’s resistance came to an end just at the stroke of lunch. Chris Woakes, who didn’t have much success in the Test match till then, got the important breakthrough as England went to Lunch needing just two more wickets to wrap up India’s innings. India’s score read 112/8 at Lunch with 81 runs still to get.