India win Test at Lord’s after 28 years!

Outplaying England in conditions tailor-made for them is one of the toughest jobs in cricket. However, triumphs over such challenges make their way in golden letters, in annals of the game.

Outplaying England in conditions tailor-made for them is one of the toughest jobs in cricket. However, triumphs over such challenges make their way in golden letters, in annals of the game. India’s win in the Lord’s Test in 2014 surely finds a place there.

In India’s tour of England in 2014, the hosts routed the then No. 1 side 4-0, and in doing so snatched away the much-coveted position as well. There began India’s decline in Test cricket.

Both the sides played out a draw at Trent Bridge, which hosted the first Test. England presented India with one of the greenest surfaces seen in recent times. Worse, India lost the toss and had the task of batting first on it. While James Anderson tested the Indian batters from one end, Ajinkya Rahane held the fort at the other, desperate to get his name etched on the Lord’s honours board. His fighting 103, and a 90-run eighth-wicket stand with Bhuvneshwar Kumar ensured India a respectable total of 295. It was not enough though as riding on Gary Ballance’s 110, England managed a lead of 24 runs. However, it was Bhuvneshwar’s six-for that kept the total in check.

India’s second innings was all about Murali Vijay and the gritty tail. Displaying discipline and importance of concentration, Vijay crafted a patient 95. Then Ravindra Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar added 99 for the eighth wicket off as many balls, helping India set a target of 319.

Jadeja got the ball to turn off the pitch, and India sniffed a win when England captain Alastair Cook departed with the side reeling at 72 for 4. Joe Root and Moeen Ali guided them to safety as the side crossed the three-figure mark at the end of Day 4.

Ishant swings it

The batsmen began well the following day and the pendulum had shifted towards England. MS Dhoni asked Ishant Sharma to come round the wicket and look to try and bounce the Englishmen. A reluctant Ishant agreed, and the ball before lunch did the trick. Moeen Ali gloved one banged short to the man at short-leg. Ishant had smelt blood and rest was history. From 173 for 4, within the next 12 overs, England folded for 223, and Ishant finished with 7 for 74. Before this Test, all the talk was about the Jadeja-Anderson altercation at Trent Bridge. For India, in a way it was fitting that a Jadeja throw to run Anderson out saw the end of the Test. ALSO WATCH: 12 brilliant spells by Ishant Sharma

Ishant, a butt of many jokes, made a statement. India had won a Test at Lord’s, their first in 28 years and finally an overseas Test win in 16, since beating West Indies at Kingston in June 2011.

Brief Scores:

India 295 (Ajinkya Rahane 103, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 36; James Anderson 4 for 60) & 342 (Murali Vijay 95, Cheteshwar Pujara 43, Ravindra Jadeja 68; Ben Stokes 3 for 51, Liam Plunkett 3 for 65) bt England 319 (Gary Ballance 110, Liam Plunkett 55*; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 6 for 82) & 223 (Joe Root 66, Moeen Ali 39; Ishant Sharma 7 for 74) by 95 runs.

(Suvajit Mustafi consumes cricket for lunch, fiction for dinner and munches numerous other snacks throughout the day. Yes, a jack of several trades, all Suvajit dreamt of was being India’s World Cup winning skipper but ended up being a sports writer, author, screenwriter, director, copywriter, graphic designer, sports marketer, strategist, entrepreneur, philosopher and traveller. Donning so many hats, it’s cricket which gives him the ultimate high and where he finds solace. He can be followed at @RibsGully and rivu7)