India vs England Test: India lord over English after 28 years of drought

London: England collapsed from 198/5 to 223 all out, with Ishant Sharma taking a seven-wicket haul as India won the second Test at Lord’s on the final day by 95 runs, taking a 1-0 lead in the five Test series.

Resuming after lunch on 173/5, Matt Prior made 12 before he was caught by Murali Vijay at deep midwicket off the bowling of Sharma. Ben Stokes followed for his third consecutive duck when he toe-ended Sharma to Cheteshwar Pujara, before Joe Root ended his brilliant 66 in indisciplined style, finding Stuart Binny at deep backward square leg, again off Sharma.

All three dismissals came off short deliveries. Broad then gloved Sharma behind to Mahendra Singh Dhoni, before India completed the win when Ravindra Jadeja ran out James Anderson with a direct hit.

Anderson ran for a single when one was never available, and it ended a farcical second session for England.

Sharma, who was man of the match with figures of 7-74, is the first India player to take seven wickets in a Test match in England. It is only India’s second win in Test cricket at Lord’s but for England, Sharma’s removal of Prior will be particularly concerning.

Read: No family celebrations for Ishant Sharma's heroic performance

He had been repeatedly hooking and pulling short deliveries for singles and fours, so India adjusted its field and Sharma duly collected his wicket.
His dismissal was predictable, not befitting of a player with 78 test appearances to his name. His side, now with seven losses in nine, was growing into a position to end the game victorious.

Calls for England’s one day wicketkeeper Jos Buttler to replace him in the Test side are growing stronger. Cook backed Prior, but understands those who feel it is time for change.

Ravindra Jadeja, who dominated the second session on Sunday when he blasted 68 off 57 for a match defining knock, before bowling opener Sam Robson lbw shortly before tea, received special praise from Dhoni.

For England, the scrutiny surrounding Cook’s position as captain and other senior players’ place in the side will only intensify. Ian Bell made 17 across two innings, Prior’s wicketkeeping has been slack while his recklessness with the bat grows with every innings and Cook has now gone 27 innings without a century.

Starting day five on 105/4, England had enjoyed a positive opening session, managing to stifle India’s momentum until Moeen Ali was caught out on the final ball.

Ali fended a fierce Sharma bouncer upwards off his glove, where Pujara took his first catch of the day at short leg, having made 39 runs. For England, it was a disastrous end to an otherwise ideal first session.

Root reached his fifth test 50 in a knock that included three fours in one over off Sharma. He took 122 balls to bring up the milestone. It received an appreciative applause from the crowd, whose optimism was increasing as his defiant innings progressed.

Ali and Root’s fifth-wicket partnership, worth 101 runs, was ended by Sharma in his following over.

And there is potential for more bad news to follow for England on Tuesday. Bowler Anderson will find out if he will be banned for four test matches after being charged with pushing Jadeja as the players went for lunch on day two of the drawn first Test at Trent Bridge.       

India’s test record @ Lord’s

India’s 95-run victory against England on Monday was only the second time in 17 matches stretching back 28 years that they had won a Test at Lord’s

Year    Result

1932     lost by 158 runs
1936     lost by 9 wkts
1946     lost by 10 wkts
1952     lost by 8 wkts
1959     lost by 8 wkts
1967     lost by innings & 124 runs
1971     draw
1974     lost by innings & 285 runs
1979     draw
1982     lost by 7 wkts
1986     won by 5 wkts