Little did we know that Shubman Gill wildly waving his finger at Zak Crawley at the end of day three would set the stage for one of the most intense Test match finishes we’ve seen in recent times.

Where did the Needle stem from?

After three days of slow over rates, low run rates, and a very dry pitch, the third Test between England and India at Lord’s was gently ticking over. But when Jofra Archer dismissed a resilient Washington Sundar to end the first innings, somehow or another, the scores were level on 387.

Dramatically, in fading conditions, minutes before stumps, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley were sent out to bat, with seemingly no actual intention of batting. Crawley used every tactic to delay the proceedings and reduce the risk of losing a late wicket at the ‘Home of Cricket’. His strategy proved successful as Jasprit Bumrah’s first over stretched for seven minutes, concluding day three.

The Indian team, clearly unimpressed by the deliberate time-wasting tactics, sarcastically clapped the overarching figure of Crawley as he stepped away from his crease for a fourth time during Bumrah’s over, before needing to receive physio intervention.

Since the resignation of former captain Virat Kohli, India has been searching for a new charismatic leader who shares his passion for the dark arts. However, on this occasion, the newly crowned Indian captain Shubman Gill seemed to embody Kohli as he fiercely wagged his finger at Crawley, giving him an earful as the England batters trudged off the field after surviving the end of the day’s play.

Ferocious send-offs & rooted stumps: A Destructive Day Four

Tensions spilt over into day four when Duckett was caught off guard and pulled straight into Bumrah’s hands at mid-off. Mohammed Siraj, seeking revenge, sprinted up to Duckett and delivered a ferocious send-off, brushing shoulders as they went their separate ways.

As a result of his aggressive celebration, Siraj has since been fined 15% of his match fee and given one demerit point. Even so, former cricketer Nassar Hussain seemed to disagree with punishing players for showing this type of emotion, stating on Sky Sports that players are not robots. He argued that test matches, especially those that go the distance, are exhausting, and it is inevitable that emotions build up and boil over at points.

The chirping among the nations continued as the pressure mounted on the English batsmen. Jasprit Bumrah’s relentless delivery of length, on a wearing day four pitch, caused Zak Crawley all sorts of difficulties.

Harry Brook, the International Cricket Council number one-ranked Test batsman, played a remarkably uncharacteristic sweep shot that saw him get cleaned bowled around his legs. The counterattack lacked patience, and Kumar Sanakkara, in the commentary box, was less than impressed, expressing his distaste for the shot selection. He proclaimed, “This isn’t Bazball, this is arrogance.”

Joe Root and Ben Stokes attempted to stabilise England’s ship, but Washington Sundar exposed the rough and exposed the middle order’s weaknesses. Consequently, England fell to a disappointing final score of 192, leaving the bragging rights firmly in India’s hands.

Nevertheless, what goes around always comes back around in Test cricket, as India now faced the hostile environment and challenging conditions. 

Yashasvi Jaiswal fell in the second over, followed by Karun Nair in the thirteenth. Shubman Gill was dismissed in the fifteenth over, and Akash Deep, the nightwatchman, had his off stump rooted by Ben Stokes on the last ball of the day. The prestigious Lord’s longroom erupted and roared as the team passed through, setting the stage for an almighty finish on day five.

Bazball: United in Battle

Day five began with a bang, literally. Jofra Archer obliterated Rishabh Pant’s off stump at 90mph, igniting the sledging once again. “Charge that!” Archer chirped. 

Nitish Kumar Reddy also faced pelters from all sides when he came to bat. Harry Brook, his old IPL team-mate, told him, “Who do you think you are? I remember when we were with the Sunrisers, you didn’t say anything.” England surged forward, sensing the win was within reach.

Ben Stokes and his team have been accused of being bound by intransigence under the Bazball ideology, which has been evident in their unwavering solidarity against India. Shubman Gill’s attack on Zak Crawley in the final over of the third day unified the entire England team, who went into battle as a united front.

Archer revealed at the end of day five that the emotion was intentional. The needle was used as fuel, a motivation to win the test match, which went down to the very wire.

Thirty-six-year-old Ravindra Jadeja dug deep with the tail and chipped away at England’s total, but with 22 runs left to chase, the match ended in the most comically village cricket way possible. Siraj, one of the main sledging culprits, blocked a ball from Shoaib Bashir on the back foot from the middle of the bat. The ball bounced, spun, and trickled into the stumps, leaving India reeling in heartbreak.

Despite the needle, chirping, and sledging, respect remained undiminished. As Siraj squatted down in disbelief, one by one, the England team offered a hand in admiration for his batting efforts.

After five gruelling days of Test cricket, both teams were spent. Stokes, who had worked tirelessly in the field, bowled 10 over spells and valiantly led his nation to victory, limped up the grand Lord’s staircase to the dressing room and admitted he was now looking forward to four days in bed.

On the flip side, Gill may have some restless nights ahead as he struggles to regroup his troops. Despite their significant control throughout large parts of the series, they still trail 2-1. Will Bumrah be available for Manchester? Will Pant regain the gloves? Only time will tell.

“If you want to earn respect in world cricket, take up test cricket…”

With all three matches in the England-India series going to the fifth day, this serves as a significant reminder for the ICC, which has reportedly backed four-day tests for the 2027-2029 World Test Championship cycle.

Upon retirement, the great Virat Kohli said, “If you want to earn respect in world cricket, take up Test cricket, give your heart and soul to it, and earn the respect of legends.” So why have we become so obsessed with shortening every facet of the game?

Test cricket is historic, the pinnacle of the sport. It tests your concentration, ability, technique, and grit. It’s a test of passion, conditions, and endurance. By shortening the format, you’re simply reducing the test in Test match cricket.

Ultimately, the third test between England and India erred on the right side of the needle. Zak Crawley’s repeated hold-up of Jasprit Bumrah only added to the enthralling entertainment created by two passionate cricketing nations. Long live the needle and the five-day test match format.