Posted by The rescheduled, 5th Test from the 2021 India’s tour of England at Edgbaston saw England dominate early with the ball, before Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja’s special saw England lose plot and later Jasprit Bumrah provided India a fantastic finish. England couldn’t dominate with the bat, it again was Jonny Bairstow with a ton that helped England get to a respectful total. India with a very healthy lead didn’t have a good 2nd innings especially upfront, later Cheteshwar Pujara and Rishabh Pant who stitched a big partnership and got India’s lead to swell. England’s 2nd innings got underway in style with a 100* run opening stand before India staged a mini comeback that was overpowered by a Joe Root – Jonny Bairstow special to get England back in the chase and then finish it in incredible fashion with a massive partnership.
ENGLAND’S XI :
Alex Lees, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (C), Sam Billings (WK), Stuart Broad, Matthew Potts, Jack Leach, James Anderson.
INDIA’S XI :
Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah (C), Mohammed Siraj.
Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara for India, James Anderson and Stuart Broad for England got proceedings underway. Shubman Gill with a boundary got going, he looked very fine in the middle and got a couple more away before James Anderson struck Gill on 17(24) and India lost their first with 27 on board. Hanuma Vihari joined Cheteshwar Pujara who on the other end was batting comfortably and it was the reintroduction of James Anderson that helped England see Pujara’s back on 13(46). Virat Kohli joined Vihari and there soon came the first rain interruption and early lunch was called with Virat 1*(7) and Vihari 14*(46). Fair delay, but play was underway. Potts striked early as he caught Vihari lbw on 20(53). It again was Potts and with a big one, that of Virat Kohli on 11(19), India having lost a couple quick ones were 4 down with 71 on board. Shreyas Iyer joined an aggresive Rishabh Pant who was 10*(4), Iyer too tried to counterattack, but lasted only for 15(11) and James Anderson had his third. Ravindra Jadeja joined a set, firing Rishabh Pant and the pair got to a crucial 50* run stand. Minutes before tea, Rishabh Pant got to his half century of 52 balls. The pair safely negotiated to tea, with India 174-5, Pant 53*(52) and Jadeja 32*(65). Post tea, the aggression accelerated, the pair extended their run stand to 100*. Pant took on the English attack and took it on with complete intent, he got to his 100* off 89 balls, a brilliant innings that. Jadeja on the other end soon got to his fine 50* off 110 balls. The pair of Pant-Jadeja got to their 200* run stand with India edge past 300. Rishabh Pant’s carnage finally had a stop as Joe Root struck, Pant walked back for a brilliant 146(111) and the partnership worth 222 saw curtains. Wasn’t a lot from Thakur as he walked back for 1(12). India were 338-7, with Shami 0*(11) and Ravindra Jadeja 83*(163) at stumps on the opening day’s play.
Day 2 saw a delayed started due to rain. When play got underway, Shami smashed a couple away to clear India’s intent, Jadeja on the other end got to a finest of 100* off 183, a very pure Test knock that. Stuart Broad struck Shami on 16 and Bumrah was in the middle. Anderson soon struck Jadeja on 104(194) and Jadeja’s brilliance had a stop. Bumrah batting with Siraj took charge and launched on that saw a 35 run over off Stuart Broad before Anderson in his next, striked Siraj and got to his fifer. Bumrah remained not-out on 31*(16) and India finished on strong 416-10 from a poor 98-5. England had James Anderson with his 5 as the pick of the bowlers, Matthew Potts with his 2, Stuart Broad, Joe Root and Ben Stokes with one each followed on the wickets list. England’s 1st innings got underway with a couple of Lees bat, a boundary more to Lees before he walked back on 6(9) and Skipper, Bumrah provided India with the early breakthrough. Rain paused play and early lunch was called. Post lunch, Bumrah struck early, had a wicket more in Crawley who walked back on 9(17). Joe Root and Ollie Pope were the two new batters in with England 27-2. There again was a rain delay, a long one this time. Finally when play got underway, Joe Root and Ollie Pope got a couple away and were looking set, Pope flirted with one outside off and proved enough for his departure on 10(18), it again was Bumrah with the wicket. Jonny Bairstow joined a set, Joe Root and the duo safely guided the team to early tea as rain had intervened play. A long delay for play to resume, when it did Joe Root started off brilliantly and was looking set for another big one, but wasn’t to be as Siraj this time provided India with a breakthrough and it was a big one, that of a set, Joe Root on 31(67). Jack Leach was in as night-watcher and didn’t disturb the scores as he walked back for a 5 balk duck, Shami finally had a wicket come his way. Ben Stokes joined Jonny Bairstow, the pair had a few balls to survive to stumps and did so safely. Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow remained unbeaten on 0*(4) and 12*(47) respectively, with England in trouble being 5 down for 84.
Day 3 play saw England start off aggressively, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes launched on the Indian attack at the best they could and a crucial 50* run stand was up between the duo. Jonny Bairstow soon got to this 50* off 81 balls. Shardul Thakur, India’s golden arm struck and it was a big one, that of Ben Stokes on 25(36). Sam Billings joined a set Jonny Bairstow, the intent didn’t see a stop as runs kept flowing. Jonny Bairstow was into his 90’s and early lunch was called with rain interrupting play. Post lunch, Billings too got going with a couple boundaries and Jonny Bairstow on the other end got to his fine 100* off 119 balls. It was a brilliant partnership building for the English and India got the breakthrough, Shami struck and the 92 run dangerous looking partnership saw curtains as Jonny Bairstow walked back on a very fine 106(140). Stuart Broad was in and departed early for 1(5). Matthew Potts and Sam Billing got a good little partnership in before Siraj dismissed the latter for 36. James Anderson and Matthew Potts had a final wicket stand of 17 runs that saw curtains with the wicket of Matthew Potts on 19(18). England finished on 284 and India managed a very healthy lead of 132 runs. India had Siraj with his 4 lead the wickets column, Bumrah with 3, Shami with 2 and Thakur with 1 followed. India’s 2nd innings got underway with a boundary off Shubman Gill’s bat and then departed the very next ball as Anderson struck. Hanuma Vihari dug in alongside a good going, Cheteshwar Pujara and the duo safely got to tea. Post tea, Broad’s reintroduction saw India lose Hanuma Vihari on 11(14). Virat Kohli was in and got going straightaway. A good partnership was building, but only until a load roar was heard from the Englishmen as Ben Stokes had got one to kick off and Virat Kohli pressing forward in defence nicked it to slip and departed on 20(40). Rishabh Pant joined a set Pujara and the pair stitched a good partnership. Just before close of play, Pujara got to his fine 50* off 139 balls. India closed out on 125-3 with Pujara and Pant unbeaten on 50(139) and 30(46) respectively.
Day 4 play saw England strike early as Cheteshwar Pujara walked back on 66(168), Broad with the wicket put an end on the 78 run stand. Shreyas Iyer walked to the middle, had a task in hand, to attack and did get a few away. India’s lead edged past 300 and Pant on the other end got to his 50*. Matthew Potts trapped Iyer with a short ball getting his stay of 19(26) to a close. Jadeja joined Pant, but wasn’t a special from this duo this time around as Pant departed soon to Jack Leach on 57(86). India lost a wicket more in Shardul Thakur on 4(26), pre lunch. Jadeja and Shami safely guided the team to lunch being unbeaten on 17(36) and 12(13) respectively. Immediate impact post lunch from Stokes as Shami departed, soon Stokes had his 2nd as Jadeja departed on 25(58). India got a couple away before Stokes struck Bumrah on 7(20) to clear the tail. India were bowled out for 245 and had set a target of 378 for England to chase down. England had skipper, Stokes with his 4 lead the wickets chart, that had Broad and Potts with couple each follow and also Anderson and Leach with one each to their names. England’s 2nd innings got underway with complete intent and aggression, a 50* run opening stand was up in the 9th over and it was Alex Lees on the charge and soon got to his 50* off 44 balls. Crawley too the other end, didn’t hold back and England accelerated to a century run opening stand. Minutes before tea, Bumrah got England’s 107 run opening stand a close with the wicket of Crawley on 46(76). Bumrah struck Ollie Pope first ball post tea handing him a 3 ball duck. India had a wicket more in no time as Alex Lees was run-out, departed for a fine 56(65). Jonny Bairstow joined Joe Root, both new to the middle got England back in the chase. Bairstow on 14 was given a life by Hanuma Vihari and soon a 50* run stand was up for the Yorkshire duo of Root and Bairstow. Final hour of play saw Joe Root get to his 50 and it followed a 100 run stand between the duo. Bairstow too got to his 50* and the duo safely negotiated to stumps and England closed out day 4 on 259-3, with Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow unbeaten on 76(112) and 72(87), was a fantastic 150* run stand that.
Final day had England trail by 119 for the win. In response, England got going really well as India just couldn’t find their lines and length. Had there been any nerves to restart by the English pair of Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow for sure went away as byes and freebies from India would have comforted them. Joe Root got to his 100 and then accelerated to power England to a quick finish. Jonny Bairstow on the other end too got to his 100 with England a little away from scripting history. Joe Root reserved swept Jadeja and got the final 1 required to draw a 2-2 level to the series that begun in 2021. England chased down 378 in 76.4 overs of play, incredible stuff. A 7 wickets win, an unbeaten incredible partnership of 254* off 365 balls saw Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow finish unbeaten on 142(173) and 114(145) respectively. For India, Jasprit Bumrah with a couple wickets to his name made it to the wickets column.
Jonny Bairstow was named the player of the match for his tons in both innings of the Test match. Joe Root for England and Jasprit Bumrah for India were named player of the series. India’s 2nd innings failure with both bat and ball will be pinching them as England celebrate their unbeaten summer streak of wins in Test match cricket.
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