ENG VS IND - 3rd Test, India tour of England, 2021

England 1 - 1 India: England were quiet, technically pedantic, crafty, and not exactly eager for a brawl. Were. One might find it hard to believe that Joe Root's team weren't themselves surprised by the manner in which they annihilated India. Nevertheless, the one boring thing about Test cricket is that flukes are unlikely. Sustained effort, and indomitable spirit from England have managed to mute over a billion people, with a subtly moving ball. India did seem to get a little vocal and spoke a little too early after the Lord's win, and they have fallen unelegantly and haplessly - but perhaps not irredeemably. The Oval is likely to be a belter, and the glimmer of hope from India's batting in the second innings needs to carry over into London. For now, it's Rishi Roy, pulling the curtains prematurely down on this Test match, alongside Abhinand Raghavendran and Mukesh Gowda. Here's to a few more ebbs and flows, in the next two, as opposed to a damp one-sided squib like this one. Cheerio!

Here's a stats roundup courtesy our esteemed colleague - Deepu Narayanan:

Most wins as England captain
27 Joe Root (55 Tests)
26 Michael Vaughan (51)
24 Andrew Strauss (50)
24 Alastair Cook (59)
20 Peter May (41)

Innings defeats under Virat Kohli
Inngs & 159 runs vs Eng Lord's 2018
Inngs & 76 runs vs Eng Leeds 2021

India's Test defeats after Virat Kohli winning the toss
by 8 wkts vs Aus Adelaide 2020/21
by inngs & 76 runs vs Eng Leeds 2021

Fewest runs by India since the fall of 4th wkt in a Test (both inngs completed)
41 vs Aus Pune 2016/17
63 vs Eng Leeds 2021 *
64 vs Eng Manchester 1952
77 vs Aus Adelaide 2020/21

400 wickets for James Anderson in 94 Tests in England - second bowler to the 400-wicket milestone in home Tests after Muttiah Muralitharan's 493 wickets in 73 Tests in Sri Lanka

Most innings defeats for a team
63 England
39 New Zealand
46 West Indies
45 India
44 Australia
43 Bangladesh

Ollie Robinson | Man of the Match | (2-16 and 5-65): It's a dream to be honest, to get a man of the match award in my first win for England. I enjoyed bowling here before, and it's nice to use the conditions here, so I'm happy to get a five-for here. To bowl with Jimmy and learn from him is an honour. It has only improved my game. I keep learning and trying to be as good as possible. It's nice to get Kohli, after he got me for two fours in the over - it's a simple plan to Virat, fourth and fifth stump, get it to angle away, and hope he nicks it and he did.

Root (2/2): Robinson has been brilliant, and he's asked good questions of their defence. He's managed to move the ball throughout the innings, not just with the new ball. Sam is a talented player, and he may not be at his absolute best, but he will do special things for England. He showed last time we played India that he could play wonderful knocks, take key wickets, so I'm not worried about him at all. He has a lot of character and he will get better sooner rather than later. Buttler's availability will be known in the next few days (paternity leave). As this is my home ground, I've watched a lot of cricket here, so I thank them for all the great support.

Joe Root | England (winning) captain (1/2): It was a fantastic and clinical performance from the bowlers. The two big lads put loads of pressure with three maidens, and we had a really good opportunity to take wickets and we took them ruthlessly. We know we are capable of perfomances like this, and we have the talent, that opening stand was fantastic too. We controlled and hung in with the new ball, and we reaped the rewards. Anderson churns out performances like that and that's why he's the GOAT of Test cricket. He's very fit and sets an example for the other bowlers. Dawid played beautifully and started a bit cautiously, but once he got going, he was fluent like he'd been playing the last few years, so the international experience came to the fore. As a batter you are expected to go out and score everytime and I am happy I've managed to score a few. It's been a while since I got a hundred in my home ground and I hope we can carry this form forward as a team into the Oval.

Kohli (2/2): You could say that we don't have enough batting depth, but the top order has to give enough runs to the lower middle order to step up. The lower order can't bail the team out all the time. We don't have much other than the batting in the second innings to take from this game in terms of positives. Playing another spinner would depend on the pitch and we'll take a call later. It depends on the moisture and how it will hold up for the five days. The pressure from the fourth seamer is important sometimes and sometimes we have to make sure taking only three seamers means that the spinners have to come in quickly. We need to correct our flaws quickly and we've done this before, and we look forward to the Oval Test.

Virat Kohli | India (losing) captain (1/2): It's down to scoreboard pressure. We knew we were up against it when we were out for 80 and the opposition put up a big score. We put up crucial partnerships and saw the day through, but the pressure from the English bowlers was brilliant this morning and we didn't respond well. Batting collapses can happen in this country, the pitch was good to bat on, but their discipline with the ball forced us to make a few mistakes, and it was difficult to deal with spells where we weren't getting runs. We didn't make good decisions as a batting side. The pitch looked good to bat on, and when England batted it hadn't changed much, so they had a lot more intent with the bat, made better decisions. They were the deserving side to win to be honest.

England 1 - 1 India - It turns out Siraj's gesture with that right-hand was short-lived...

Once again, the stalwarts of the Indian middle-order have wilted alarmingly under pressure when questions were asked of them. As it turned out, Pujara and Kohli's resistance was a false dawn and Indian carried over some latent complacence in addition to the confidence from last night - and England have wrapped it up swiftly and clinically to break even in this series, despite their depleted bowling resources. An eye for an eye, and Headingley is blinded with tears of joy. Presentations coming up in a moment...

12:47 Local Time | 17:17 IST: How quick was that? It really could have gone either way this morning, and despite the lack of grass on this wicket, the rub of the green has gone England's way. Not that it hasn't been paired with unmatched skill - that of James Anderson, and the so-called rookies. Robinson and Overton made short work of the Indian middle order today, on the rare occasion that Anderson wasn't picking up wickets for fun...

Craig Overton to Siraj, out Caught by Bairstow! This is vengeful beyond England would have dared to imagine after the humiliation at Lords! Fittingly, it's Siraj who is pushed onto the backfoot by a seaming straightener, and gets a thick edge to Bairstow in the cordon to send England into delirium! He's not going to bother grabbing a stump this time, even though he's right there. No souvenirs. This is a Test match he'd want to forget. It's India 1-1 England. Sweet English revenge. Siraj c Bairstow b Craig Overton 0(2)

Craig Overton to Siraj, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Craig Overton to Siraj, no run, down leg, on a short of length, Siraj flicks and misses

Mohammed Siraj, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Craig Overton to Jadeja, out Caught by Buttler!! Craig Overton with the ninth. A back of a length delivery in the corridor of uncertainty, holds its line, Jadeja pokes away from the body and the thin edge is snaffled by Buttler. Again no need to review and just the formalities remain for England to level the series. Jadeja c Buttler b Craig Overton 30(25) [4s-5 6s-1]

Craig Overton to Jadeja, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Sachit Srivastava: "It feels so unfair that after the failure of middle order, Jadeja will be on the radar of the team management. He is so much technically sound and confident lately. He is not getting many runs just because he has to play with the tail." - He certainly feels like the least utilised player, but the middle-order has been ordinary this series.

Moeen Ali to Bumrah, no run, Bumrah wants a run, but Jadeja sends him back. Had they run harder, even two was possible but they don't go for it. Steered with an open face, to the vacant backward point region

Moeen Ali to Bumrah, no run, tossed up but slower outside off, Bumrah defends near his feet

Cover's open but there's three men plus a deep mid-wicket on the on-side.

Moeen Ali to Bumrah, no run, very full outside off, smothered