AI Simulation, ENG vs IND | Jofra Archer stars on return as England clinch thriller despite Gill heroics

Pitch & Weather

A traditional Lord's wicket was on offer with good carry early on before the surface flattened out on day two. The spinners also came into the game on the last two days, with the cracks starting to open up with wear and tear. The weather was sunny and pleasant throughout, with minor cloud cover aiding swing in the first session of all days.

Toss & Conditions

India won the toss and elected to bat first.

Lineups

England: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir

India: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep

Match Report

A pulsating contest at the home of cricket saw England chase down 336 in the fourth innings, defeating India by two wickets at Lord's in London. Shubman Gill dazzled with the bat, scoring a hundred and fifty in both innings, but it was Jofra Archer’s return to Tests and England’s resilience that helped them take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

After winning the toss, openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal got India off to a good start. Captain Shubman Gill continued his sublime form, showcasing his supreme timing and judgment en route to making 156. Gill hit 20 fours and three sixes to score his third consecutive century as India declared their innings at 423/9 on day two. KL Rahul (71) and Rishabh Pant (71) chipped in with significant contributions, while Jofra Archer impressed with his rhythm and bounce, picking 4/93.

In response, England managed to make 372 as they ended up conceding a lead of 51 to the visitors. Ben Duckett top-scored for England with 98, scoring 15 fours and a six, before narrowly missing out on a well-deserved century. Harry Brook (64) and Joe Root (56) also chipped in with valuable contributions as Akash Deep finished with figures of 4/78 and Jasprit Bumrah picked up three wickets.

India’s second essay saw a brisk approach with Gill once again leading the way with a fluent 84. He was well-supported by Yashasvi Jaiswal (65) and Pant. But Archer (5/71) was not done yet as he returned to pick a five-wicket haul in his first Test in more than four years to dismiss India for 284. The home side had to chase down a target of 336 for yet another historic win, and the stage was set for a thrilling finish.

England’s chase was well-structured as all batters made meaningful contributions to add to India’s woes. Duckett and Crawley absorbed the early pressure without losing a wicket to India’s new-ball pair in the initial phase, with the latter scoring 66 off 104 balls. Ollie Pope anchored the chase beautifully, scoring nine boundaries during his knock of 88 off 139 balls, while Brook added timely acceleration. Jadeja and Akash Deep triggered a mini-collapse to bring India back into the contest, reducing England to 298/7. However, Ben Stokes and Archer held their nerve in the tense final hour to guide England home, reaching 340/8. The pacer finished off proceedings in style with a six to spark celebrations in the home dressing room.

Player of the Match

Shubman Gill won the Player of the Match for his excellent batting display despite finishing on the losing side. The Indian skipper scored 156 and 84 in both innings to stand tall despite India’s loss.

Scorecard