ENG vs IND: Virat Kohli shares a lighter moment with Rishabh Pant on a tense final day at Lord's

India came up trumps against England at Lord’s in the second Test of the five-match series, defeating the hosts by 151 runs to gain a 1-0 lead. Going into the final day, India had their hopes pinned on Rishabh Pant, who was in the middle alongside Ishant Sharma at the end of Day 4, with India placed 181/6.

However, the visitors lost both the batters in quick time on the fifth morning courtesy of Ollie Robinson, who had Pant caught behind for 22, while he pinned Ishant Sharma lbw on 16, before a lower-order rearguard from Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, who added a record 89 runs for the ninth wicket, led India to set a 272-run target for visitors. Shami smashed 56 off 70, whereas Bumrah remained unbeaten on 34 off 64 before India declared their innings at 298/8.

Bumrah soon took matters into the hand with a tool he is more known to operate with, as he sent back both England openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley for four-ball ducks to peg England back right from the onset. Even as England lost wickets towards the start, Joe Root and Haseeb Hameed stood in the middle for 83 balls, before Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali hung themselves in what was gradually becoming a thorny, annoying partnership for India. However, the bowlers soon struck in tandem to halt England at 120 and clinch a famous foreign win.

Understandably, the fifth day at Lord’s witnessed the tempers flaring as both sides tried to go for the kill. However, even amidst the heated environment, Indian skipper Virat Kohli managed to find time for a quirky moment on the field, as he garlanded Pant’s ear with the latter’s broken bracelet.

We had the belief we can get them out in 60 overs: Virat Kohli

After India’s victory, Indian skipper Virat Kohli stated that the team backed itself to bowl out England in 60 overs. “Super proud of the whole team. We had the belief we can get them out in 60 overs. The tension in the field in our second innings, what happened there, helped us. [I] have been a part of the winning Test last time (in 2014) under MS Dhoni. That was pretty special. But this one, to get a result in 60 overs is quite special. And especially with someone like Siraj playing for the first time at Lord’s and he bowled superbly. We decided 60 is our mark.