It took no more than 90 minutes for the drama to unfold and while it was never so close that fingernails or redundant umbrella handles were chewed to the bone, this was mesmerising stuff.
England, inspired by a magnificent spell of pace bowling by Ben Stokes, which included the crucial wicket of Virat Kohli, won by 31 runs. They barely put a foot wrong throughout the morning and India buckled, especially once Kohli had returned to the pavilion.
Around 15,000 spectators made their way here for the climax and they got their money’s worth. There has been much well-meaning discussion about the future of Test cricket, even when it is being played in England, so it may be worth noting that in this decade attendances are higher here than they have been for 50 years. However, a close-fought match with the outcome always uncertain is a timely reminder of the beauty of Test cricket even after 1,000 England matches. The game is not in crisis – yet. We may have to wait for 2020 for that to be case.
This may prove to be a significant victory not only for the team but also Joe Root, who led the side impressively out there.
Winning one of these 50/50 matches has a special galvanising effect, whatever the flaws in the side. England could not afford to make any mistakes on a sunny morning and, apart from the odd floated half-volley, that was the case. The catching was sure, the ground fielding suitably desperate, the bowling disciplined while the bowling changes worked a treat.
Jimmy Anderson orchestrated the ideal start by dismissing Dinesh Karthik in the first over. There was the in-swinger to remind the batsman that he had to keep playing at the ball, followed by an away-swinger, which was edged to second slip where Dawid Malan, to universal relief, held the chance. Catches are seldom characterful but this one, an inch or two off the ground, might qualify.
Hardik Pandya proved a more substantial obstacle. England managed to have him dominating the strike and he coped well, checking his usual aggressive instincts. Kohli was often a bystander and this may have denied him some rhythm. Two driven boundaries off Stuart Broad by Pandya had the pendulum swinging India’s way and it was time for Root to shuffle his pack.
Stokes was given the ball from the City End and his third delivery was full and straight and thudded into Kohli’s front pad. Up went Aleem Dar’s finger; there was an inevitable review but the decision stood. Kohli had faced 16 of the 63 balls bowled in the session scoring eight runs, before he made his misjudgment and this was no coincidence. Root had manoeuvred the field adroitly.
Three balls later Mohammed Shami edged a lifter from Stokes to give Jonny Bairstow his fifth victim of the innings. A double-wicket maiden and suddenly India were 141 for eight and a long way from home.
Sam Curran replaced Broad and Ishant Sharma sliced two boundaries to third man off Stokes before the players gathered for the drinks interval.
After that break Curran was removed from the attack after his solitary over and replaced by Adil Rashid. It was intriguing where that ploy came from – was it via the dressing room or the on-field huddle? Ultimately, it was Root’s decision and it proved to be a very neat one.
Rashid was on target and soon he had dispatched Sharma with his googly, an identical dismissal to the first innings except that in this case the ball was demonstrably hitting the stumps once England had called for a review. Rashid’s intervention may not have been the decisive moment but it gives confidence to the leg-spinner, the captain and, no doubt, the chief selector.
Pandya was now stranded with 40 runs still needed; the field was spread when he was facing except at the end of the over. He struck one meaty boundary off Stokes, who would have the last word – in fact, quite a few words had been exchanged, which required Dar to make a gentle intervention at one point, without any major violations of the game.
In steamed Stokes again and a parry from Pandya sent the ball rapidly at hip height to Alastair Cook at first slip. The catch was taken and there followed countless celebrations and handshakes between the sides.
Curran was man of the match, though without Kohli, who compiled 200 of the 436 runs scored by India there would have been no match. Pandya with 31 was the only other player to surpass 30 and India will spend the next few days addressing that problem.
Meanwhile, England will be compelled to change a winning side – on the assumption that Stokes, their inspiration on Saturday, will not be available for the Lord’s Test, which begins on Thursday. On this evidence they will miss his bowling more than his batting. Chris Woakes is likely to be drafted into the squad.
The position of Malan will be the chief source of debate. That England won in a minor epic – and that he had taken a good catch on the final morning – may enhance his chances of survival, although the logic of that argument is hard to fathom. It is so much better to change a winning side than a losing one.
Malan’s retention may be aided by the fact there is no red-ball cricket being played now or for the next fortnight and by the absence of obvious replacements in the middle order. However, Joe Clarke, Ollie Pope and James Hildreth have been mentioned; all three would be exciting, risky selections, the type that has characterised Ed Smith’s brief tenure.
