Sachin Tendulkar Snubbed As South Africa Great Picks 'Top 3 Greatest Batters'. One Indian Named
Earlier, former England quick Steve Harmison believes that if India had its batting maestro Virat Kohli in its final XI against his former side at Lord's, the visitors would have gunned down the target and soared to a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
After the end of the three days of pulsating contest, India and England remained inseparable, with both posting 387 each in the first innings. India's spirited bowling forced England to be bundled out for 192, which raised hopes of the touring party taking a lead for the first time in the series.
However, England's speedsters left India gobsmacked with their blistering pace and flattened those ambitions in a whisker. At the end of the penultimate day, India were reeling at 58/4. In the opening hour of the final day, tearaway Jofra Archer and captain Ben Stokes rubbed salt on India's wounds and left them threadbare at 82/7.
Nitish Kumar Reddy resisted for a bit but gave away a faint edge to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith off Chris Woakes. Ravindra Jadeja batted his heart out with tail-enders Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah, but the battle they waged ended in vain as England scripted a 22-run triumph. Harmison felt that if India had its 'chase master' and former Test batter Virat, the result would have completely turned around.
"India has scored more hundreds, more top-order runs, and more new ball wickets, but England has got a knack of finding a way to win. Finding a way of creating an event throughout a session to change the course of the game. For me, India has to start believing. This is where the likes of Virat Kohli were unbelievable. In a fourth innings chase, he goes and wins the game comfortably. He would have won that game comfortably at Lord's," Harmison said in ESPNcricinfo Match Day.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
20 minutes ago
- India.com
Ravindra Jadeja Shuts Down Ben Stokes Draw Offer, Hits Hundred Amid Handshake Row
In an explosive climax to the fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar staged a heroic stand that not only secured a memorable draw for India but also sparked one of the most talked-about on-field confrontations in recent Test history. England captain Ben Stokes' sarcastic handshake offer and Jadeja's calm but firm refusal lit up social media and cricket circles, becoming a defining moment of a fiercely contested match. 5th TEST | Starts THU, 31st July, 2:30 PM | Streaming on JioHotstar! — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 27, 2025 As the shadows lengthened on Day 5 at Old Trafford, with India's rear-guard action frustrating the hosts, Stokes approached Jadeja and Sundar with an offer to settle the match as a draw—with both Indian batters nearing centuries and India having all but sealed a result. Jadeja was on 89 and Sundar on 80. Stokes, in a moment that would soon be branded as unsporting by fans, reportedly taunted: 'Do you want to score a hundred against Harry Brook?' To which a smiling but composed Jadeja replied, 'I can't do anything.' Far from the sportsmanship one might expect at that stage, the England captain's tone suggested frustration and bruised ego. Instead of gracefully acknowledging a hard-fought draw, England's camp resorted to symbolic protest—bringing on part-time bowler Harry Brook, who sent down slow, looping deliveries that Jadeja promptly dispatched, one of them going for a six to bring up his third Test century. Jadeja and Sundar's Partnership: A Wall of Resistance While the Stokes incident stole the headlines, the cricket on display by Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar was nothing short of magnificent. Their 203-run stand was a masterclass in composure, technique, and grit—especially after India were rocked at 0/2 and then lost the well-set pair of Shubman Gill and KL Rahul (who had earlier stitched together a 188-run partnership) early on Day 5. On a Day 5 surface that offered inconsistent bounce but little outright menace, the two southpaws took charge, blunting England's attack with steely resolve. Their innings echoed memories of Ashwin and Vihari's Sydney heroics in 2021, with a similar message: India won't back down. Ben Stokes and England Invite Backlash: 'Bazball to Beg-Ball' Stokes' behavior, and England's collective reaction, quickly drew sharp criticism across social media. Hashtags like #BazballToBegBall and phrases like 'bullying tactics' and 'fragile ego' trended online, as fans slammed England for undermining Jadeja and Sundar's effort. 'Imagine if Joe Root was on 99 and the opposition captain offered a draw,' one fan wrote, summing up the general sentiment. Others mocked Stokes' remark as poor leadership, with @Im__Arfan tweeting: 'Such pathetic words from a captain. Jadeja played your main bowlers with ease. The hundred is well-earned.' India's Moral Victory and England's Rare Draw in the Bazball Era Despite England's initial dominance, India's comeback was remarkable—not just statistically but in terms of psychological edge. This marked only the second draw for England in 40 Tests under the Bazball era, the previous one also at Old Trafford during the rain-affected 2023 Ashes. With Rishabh Pant nursing a foot injury and unavailable to bat unless absolutely necessary, India's resolve became even more significant. Jadeja's fluent century and Sundar's maiden Test ton will be remembered as symbols of resilience, and a timely reminder that even in modern cricket's fast-paced age, milestones achieved through patience and pride still matter.
Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Indian Express
Washington Sundar: The new monk, who stood unconquered at Manchester
The celebrations were understated for someone who completed his first Test hundred; and for someone who rarely gets the chance to reach the landmark. A shimmy for a single, short sprint to mid-on, a calm unfastening of the helmet and a wave of the bat with a face as cold as stone. There was no roar, no smile or even a grin of relief on Washington Sundar's face. It was an extension of his batting as well a reflection of his personality, monkishly imperturbable, not prone to excessive outpouring of emotions, in both good and bad times. The only streak of over-excitement in his career was verbal faux pas on the fourth evening of the Lord's Test when he averred that India would wrap up the chase of 192 before first session on the final. It gloriously backfired, to almost the hue of Tim Paine's 'See you in Gabba taunt'. But he was quickly over it and played a defining role in the game. He was India's sharpest bowler in the game, and he was the face of India's defiance on the fifth day. Then he is not a stranger to acts of tenacity. Take some of India's most memorable Test matches in the last four years, he had been there, in the eye of a storm, in the heat and heart of the battle. In Brisbane first innings, on debut, he gritted 62 off 144 balls, laying the foundations of his country's most memorable hour this decade. There are several other priceless but forgotten knocks — 85 not out on a Chennai turner, 96 not out in Motera, the 42 in Birmingham in the first innings. Even the 22 off 29 cameo in Brisbane had its own value. But unless the scorecards are forked out, footages rewatched the contributions don't strike, or the strokes he essayed flash on the mind's eye. Partly, it is down to his demeanour, self-effacing to a fault. He is that boy next door cricketer you bump so frequently in the maidans and streets. The boy who does everything, bat, bowl and field, without making a fuss about it, neither making it look ridiculously simple nor elaborately laborious. He is the name you pause in a scorecard, or ponder and forget. What-a-TON Sundar! 💯 Grit. Determination. Dominance. Held the fort till the very end, a maiden test century to cherish forever! 🙌🏻#ENGvIND 👉 5th TEST | Starts THU, 31st July, 2:30 PM | Streaming on JioHotstar! — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 27, 2025 Unless he is in the middle of winning or saving a game, which he often finds himself in a Test match. It's something of an occupational hazard when batting down the order. In 22 innings, the highest he had ever batted is at No. 5 — in this very innings, necessitated by Rishabh Pant's injury. The most familiar number has been eight (11), closely followed by seven. He has once batted at six and thrice at nine. But No 9 or 5, he remained just the same, as much as unexcited as unfazed. The enormity of the moment did not crush him. He marked his guard with a faint smile that masked whatever nerves that boiled inside his head. He bunted a pair of runs straight away and then offered a blunt broad bat for the next half an hour. He is one of the few Indian batsmen in recent times who has shown the fading art of batting time. He is rarely edgy or jumpy, always behind the ball, sparsely attempting a flashy stroke, even though he first struck acclaim as a T20 gun for hire. Nothing is careless, impetuous or wasted. He has a full array of strokes, but he knows perfectly when, where and how to use them. He judges, and seizes the moments. On Sunday, it came when Ben Stokes started barraging short balls around the 110th over. By then he had faced close to a hundred balls and just to unsettle Stokes and prompt him to a different plan of attack, he got under one nailed a fierce pull over deep square leg for a six. Memories would have rolled back to 2021, when he clumped Pat Cummins for a similar six in the Gabba chase. Like when tall batsmen pull, there was an awkward elegance about it. The next ball was nailed through the same area to defang Stokes. The over before, the England captain had produced a spiteful bouncer at Ravindra Jadeja, who somehow scrambled to safety. A decisive but mini battle was thus won. Soon after, India wiped England's lead and the confidence swelled that they could escape the game without a humiliation. He was largely in control, and when he was not, he ensured that the good balls didn't haunt him. Archer made a ball leap into the splice of his bat in the 92nd over. Liam Dawson made one spit from the rough. England sniffed a moment when they could burst through the resistance of India's last recognised pair. He then thick-edged Dawson after misreading the drift, he wafted thin air when Archer snapped a ball past his stab. He survived the storm, and lived to tell the tale. The knock could be the one that would finally make the audience begin appreciating the traits that make him a valuable member of the eleven. He is a deluxe cricketer most teams would covet. A proper Test batsman and off-spinner, the fight and grit masked beneath his boy-next-door charms.
India.com
12 hours ago
- India.com
Top 10 Indian Players With Most Runs In A Test Series: Sunil Gavaskar Leads, Virat Kohli On 5th, Shubman Gill At...
photoDetails english Updated:Jul 27, 2025, 09:03 PM IST 1. Sunil Gavaskar - 774 Runs 1 / 10 Legendary Sunil Gavaskar holds the record for scoring most runs in a Test series for India. He had scored 774 runs in eight innings against West Indies with the help of 4 centuries and 3 half-centuries during the 1970-71 series. 2. Sunil Gavaskar - 732 Runs 2 / 10 Sunil Gavaskar continued his mastery against the West Indies, scoring 732 runs in nine innings with the help of 4 centuries and 1 half-century during the 1978-79 series. 3. Shubman Gill - 722* Runs 3 / 10 India captain Shubman Gill has been in fine form in the ongoing Test series against England. He has scored 722 runs in 8 innings with the help of four centuries so far. 4. Yashasvi Jaiswal - 712 Runs 4 / 10 During his breakthrough series in 2023-24, Yashasvi Jaiswal dominated England's bowling attack with two double centuries (209 and 214*), scoring a total of 712 runs in 9 innings. 5. Virat Kohli - 692 Runs 5 / 10 India captain Virat Kohli led from the front in a challenging tour of Australia, scoring four centuries. He scored a total of 692 runs in 8 innings during the 2014/15 tour. 6. Virat Kohli - 655 Runs 6 / 10 During the 2016-17 Test series against England in India, Virat Kohli scored 655 runs in 8 innings with the help of 2 centuries and 2 half-centuries. 7. Dilip Sardesai - 642 Runs 7 / 10 Dilip Sardesai, who was regarded as one of India's best batters against spin bowling, scored 642 runs in 8 innings against West Indies during the 1970-71 tour. 8. Rahul Dravid - 619 Runs 8 / 10 During the historic Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia in 2003-04, Rahul Dravid scored 619 runs with the help of 1 century and 3 half-centuries. 9. Virat Kohli - 610 Runs 9 / 10 During the 2017-18 Test series against Sri Lanka, captain Virat Kohli scored 610 runs with the help of 3 centuries and 1 half-century. 10. Rahul Dravid - 602 Runs 10 / 10 During the historic tour of England in 2002, Rahul Dravid scored 602 runs with the help of 3 centuries and 1 half-century.
