India came back from behind to stun England by 151 runs to win the second Test match of this five-match series and take a 1-0 lead. In 89 years of Indian cricket history, this is only their third Test triumph at the iconic Lord’s, after 1986 and 2014.
India set England 272 after Mohammed Shami (56*) and Jasprit Bumrah (34*) added an unbeaten 89 runs for the ninth wicket, and bowled out the home team for 120 in just 51.5 overs to seal a memorable win.
India started the day with a lead of 154 with four wickets in hand. They lost the two overnight batters – Rishabh Pant (22) and Ishant Sharma (16) – early, to Ollie Robinson. At 209/8, with a lead of 182, India were almost down and out when Bumrah joined Shami at the crease.
It was that point when the England had a tactical brain fade of sorts. They allowed the partnership to flourish with some unnecessary short-pitched bowling and bizarre, defensive field-placing. India’s two new-ball bowlers weathered the initial overs before opening up.
They not only took India to safety but also allowed Virat Kohli to be in a position to declare, just after lunch, allowing England sixty overs to bat.
Bumrah and Shami then put India on the path to victory, this time with ball. They got rid of Rory Burns and Dom Sibley within the first within the first two overs. This was the first time both English openers had fallen for ducks in a home Test.
No. 3 Haseeb Hameed (9) added 42 for the third wicket with Joe Root before falling leg-before to Ishant. Jonny Bairstow (2) stuck around for some time alongside his captain before becoming the second scalp of Ishant. India had to use DRS to get a rare error from Michael Gough overturned.
England went to tea at 67/4. An Indian victory seemed possible. And soon it seemed inevitable when Root (33) edged one off Bumrah to slip in first over of the final session.
But Jos Buttler (25) hung on, first with Moeen Ali (13), then with Ollie Robinson (9). But the Indians had the last laugh, courtesy a brilliant spell by Mohammed Siraj and Bumrah.
Siraj got Moeen and Sam Curran with consecutive deliveries in the 39th over. In the 51st, Bumrah bowled superb slower ball that caught Robinson plumb in front the round the wicket angle.
Siraj then induced a faint nick off Buttler to Pant to make it 120/9. Two balls later, he cleaned up James Anderson for a duck to seal the historic victory for India.
The teams will now have a nine-day break before the third Test, at Headingley.
Brief scores: India 364 (K.L. Rahul 129; James Anderson 5-62) and 298/8 decl. (Ajinkya Rahane 61; Mark Wood 3-51) beat England 391 (Joe Root 180*; Mohammed Siraj 4-94) and 120 (Joe Root 33; Mohammed Siraj 4-32) by 151 runs. Player of the Match: K.L. Rahul.