England swatted aside India’s total to win the final Test
(Picture: Getty Images)England cruised home to secure one of their most famous Test run chases to date courtesy of centuries from Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root.
India had built a big first-innings lead before Bairstow kept the hosts afloat in this delayed final Test of a five-game series.
Ben Stokes then got to work skittling the tourists in their second innings yet a hefty 378 runs were required to win - something England knocked off with seven wickets remaining on Tuesday morning.
Read how Will rated the England stars at Edgbaston...
Alex Lees - 7
Runs: 6 & 56
Lees is going nicely, and really set the tone in the second innings. Frustrating to be run out for the second Test in a row, and he is a little flat-footed between the wickets, but the strokes are there.
Zak Crawley - 6
9 & 46
Desperate first innings dismissal, the latest in a long line. But actually batted very nicely in the second, and deserves credit for his part in an excellent chase. Now has time to get his game in order before facing South Africa.
Ollie Pope - 3
10 & 0
A quiet Test for England’s No3, after an encouraging series against New Zealand. Too loose in the first innings, then a duck in the second. Nice angles from helmet-cam, mind.
Joe Root - 8
31 & 142*
Frustrating dismissal in the first innings and irritating to run Lees out. But how he repaid England, with a wonderful century that marshalled the chase. Barely a risk was taken. Neat catch to get Rishabh Pant, too.
Jonny Bairstow - 10
106 & 114*
Yet another simply sensational Test from Bairstow. Twin hundreds, the first time an Englishman has done so since 2008, and his fifth and sixth centuries of the year. This was different, and required him to go through the gears. Staggering.
Ben Stokes - 6
25; Bowling figures: 1-47 & 4-33
Another maddening dismissal in his only innings, but while his team are winning – who cares? Bowled more, and better here, with a key second innings spell. Some of England’s tactics are frustrating, but they generally work in the end.
Sam Billings. - 6
36
Solid understudy for Ben Foakes, who has been so unfortunate with the timing of his Covid. A little untidy behind the sticks, saved by Root for the Kohli wicket, but batted nicely.
Stuart Broad - 5
1-89 & 2-58
Took some frightful first innings tap from Jasprit Bumrah, but picked a couple of handy wickets up in the second. Is he below Potts in the pecking order now? Averaging 38 this summer compared to the Durham man’s 27.
Matt Potts - 7
2-105 & 2-50
Not as good against lefties as right-handers, but is yet to have a poor Test. Vital spell on the fourth morning kept England in the game.
Jack Leach - 5
0-71 & 1-28
A quiet match on the surface. Attacked in the first innings by Pant, who loves taking him down. But recovered well in the second, keeping things tight and taking arguably the key wicket of the match: that man Pant at a vital moment.
James Anderson - 8
5-60 & 1-46
By the time England next play a Test, Anderson will be 40. But here he was, taking another five-fer, and picking up the key early breakthrough in the second innings. Does flag later in games, but is thriving this summer.
