By Ed Osmond
LONDON (Reuters) -England v India 2025 will go down as one of cricket’s greatest test series of all time, five matches crammed into seven weeks of unrelenting, see-saw drama ending in a 2-2 draw after India’s extraordinary six-run win in the final game on Monday.
Over 7,000 runs were scored, including a record-equalling 21 individual centuries, the sun shone most of the time and every match went into the fifth day.
The stadiums were packed and although tensions flared at times on the pitch – perhaps inevitable given the immense pressure – it was a series that featured all the best things that make test cricket such compulsive viewing.
With more and more one-day cricket around the world, it was a timely boost for the longest format of the sport which many people believe is fighting for its existence.
“It’s been an incredible series, all five games going down to day five, so much has been put into this series from both teams,” England captain Ben Stokes said.
“The commitment and energy has been outstanding. Stood here now, we’re bitterly disappointed we couldn’t get the series win but, being a massive advocate of the game of test cricket, this series has been an unbelievable advert for it across the world.”
It all started at Headingley where three India batsmen made centuries, before a collapse that was to become a feature of the series, as they posted 471 and England replied with 465.
Rishabh Pant’s second hundred of the game led India to 364 before Ben Duckett’s stroke-laden 149 inspired England’s textbook chase of a huge target of 371 to complete a five-wicket win.
ONE-SIDED TEST
The second test at Edgbaston was by far the most one-sided.
India captain Shubman Gill made a brilliant 269 in his side’s first-innings 587.
Harry Brook’s 158 was the foundation of England’s 407 in reply, but Gill made 161 to take his match tally to 430 runs and the hosts could muster only 271 as India levelled the series with a crushing 336-run triumph.
On to Lord’s and as if to prove how well matched the teams were, they posted identical first-innings totals of 387, only the ninth time in test history that has happened.
Joe Root’s 104 and KL Rahul’s 100 were the major contributions on a tricky wicket devoid of pace.
England could manage only 192 second time around but, as happened so often, the pendulum swung when they then reduced the touring side to 58-4 at the close on day four.
At lunch on the final day, India were teetering on 112-8 but Ravindra Jadeja batted for well over three hours, and it was deep into the last session when spinner Shoaib Bashir bowled Mohammed Siraj to complete a 22-run England win.
BAT DOMINATED
At Old Trafford, the bat dominated once more.
India made a respectable 358 before England racked up a massive 669, highlighted by Root’s 150 and 141 from Stokes. Chris Woakes then took two wickets in the first over to reduce India to 0-2 before Rahul and Gill led a brilliant recovery.
Gill made another hundred but when they both fell on the final morning England had plenty of time to take the six remaining wickets with India facing a seemingly impossible run chase.
Jadeja and Washington Sundar had other ideas, however, and doggedly resisted, both reaching three figures after England effectively gave up and were reduced to bowling part-timer Harry Brook to allow the batsmen to get to their milestones quicker.
The draw left England 2-1 up going into the final game at The Oval with the exertions of the series taking a heavy toll on both teams.
England were missing all-rounder Stokes and fast bowler Jofra Archer while India were forced to leave out Pant and the world’s top-ranked bowler in Jasprit Bumrah.
England skittled India for 224 before eking out a narrow first-innings lead of 23.
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s second century of the series lifted the touring side to 396 and left England needing 374 for victory with two days remaining.
TWIN CENTURIONS
The hosts stumbled to 106-3 before twin centurions Root and Brook shared a superb fourth-wicket partnership of 195 to put England firmly in the driving seat with only 66 runs required.
Brook’s reckless dismissal, however, gave India hope and, led by the tireless Siraj, they picked up two more wickets before bad weather forced an early close to leave England needing 35 runs on the final day.
The Oval was packed for an incredible one-hour cameo that encapsulated the entire series as England began the day with a more than 80% chance of victory, according to the Winviz predictor.
But Siraj was inspired again and with England’s batsmen losing their heads and their wickets, Woakes arrived at the crease wearing a sling to protect his dislocated shoulder.
Even then, England edged towards their target as Gus Atkinson farmed the strike and hit Siraj for six, only for the abrasive fast bowler to end proceedings with a brilliant yorker.
It was just reward for India, who lost the toss in all five matches, as they claimed their narrowest-ever test win.
“All the doubters saying test cricket is dying a death, this series has said the opposite,” Stokes added.
(Reporting by Ed Osmond; Editing by Ken Ferris)
