The recently concluded third Test between India and England at Lord’s turned out to be a thrilling battle filled with drama, emotion and intense cricketing action. England held their nerve in the final moments to clinch a narrow 22-run win, taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series. The match kept fans on the edge till the very last over and will be remembered for both — the fierce fight shown by the players and the graceful gestures that followed.
One of the most touching moments came after Mohammed Siraj’s heartbreaking dismissal that sealed the result in England’s favour. Siraj, who came in as India’s last batsman with 193 runs to chase on the final day, showed exceptional courage and determination. Even though he was struggling with a mid-innings injury, he stayed at the crease for 29 deliveries and managed to score four runs, forming a gritty partnership with the well-set Ravindra Jadeja. Together, they batted for over 13 overs and brought India pretty close to what could have been a historic win at Lord’s.
But in the 75th over, with the tension at its peak, Siraj faced the final balls against Shoaib Bashir. He defended the fourth ball well but the fifth ball brought heartbreak. A solid backfoot defense unexpectedly resulted in the ball trickling from his bat to the stumps, softly dislodging the bails. Siraj, stunned and crushed, sat down in disbelief as England erupted in celebration around him.
What followed was a rare but beautiful act of sportsmanship. Despite their victory, England players Joe Root, Zak Crawley and Harry Brook stepped away from the celebration to comfort Siraj. Others soon joined, offering handshakes and hugs, acknowledging his brave effort. The gesture won admiration across the cricketing world, particularly in India where fans hailed the moment as a perfect example of the ‘spirit of cricket’.
Here are some selected reactions:
https://x.com/mufaddal_vohra/status/1944792916028805123
https://x.com/AshwiniRoopesh/status/1944797914884424024
https://x.com/Bharat_MeriJaan/status/1944796723982774570
https://x.com/Priyuuu_20/status/1944797958660149368
https://x.com/HitmanCricket/status/1944793330585653559
https://x.com/theprayagtiwari/status/1944791462316593489
Throughout the match, Siraj had shown his passion with his aggressive style of play. He didn’t hesitate to confront opponents, bumping shoulders with Ben Duckett, exchanging words with Zak Crawley, challenging Ben Stokes and even staring down the umpires. Yet, his intent was clear, to fight for his team till the very end. Cricket experts including Nasser Hussain praised him for his spirit, calling him the kind of player any captain would want, fearless, fired-up and completely committed.
As the series heads to Old Trafford for the fourth Test on July 23, India will hope Siraj recovers both physically and mentally from this emotional outing. His passion has already won hearts and his presence will be crucial if India wants to level the series and push it to a decider.
