Mohammed Siraj is still reeling from the heartbreak at Lord’s. After being the final wicket to fall in India’s narrow 22-run loss to England, the pacer opened up about the moment that continues to haunt him ahead of the 4th Test in Manchester.
An Emotional End at Lord’s
The third Test between India and England went down to the wire. On Day 5, Ravindra Jadeja looked like he might pull off a miracle with his steely determination and crucial partnerships with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. But in the end, India fell just 22 runs short.
Siraj, the last man out, wore a look of heartbreak as he walked off. England players were seen consoling both Siraj and Jadeja—an acknowledgment of the fight Team India had shown.
“I Thought I Couldn’t Get Out,” Says Siraj
Speaking ahead of the 4th Test, Siraj reflected on that painful moment at Lord’s. His confidence while batting was sky-high, but the outcome left him gutted.
“When I was batting, I genuinely felt like I couldn’t get out. That confidence was real,” Siraj said. “I kept thinking, if I do get out, it’ll only be my mistake—and then it happened.”
“We could’ve won that match. That loss really stung,” he admitted. “After the match, everyone just said, ‘Good fight.’ At one point, we looked like we’d lose by 80 runs, but we took it deep. That fight mattered.”
India’s Collapse After Strong Start
After bundling England out for just 192 in their second innings, India were in a strong position to chase down 193. The momentum had shifted their way—both teams had posted identical scores in the first innings, setting up a perfect decider.
But things began to unravel early on.
Jofra Archer sent back Yashasvi Jaiswal for a duck. Karun Nair’s tough comeback continued with just 14 runs, dismissed by Brydon Carse, who also removed skipper Shubman Gill for 6. At the end of Day 4, India were wobbling at 58/4 after Ben Stokes cleaned up nightwatchman Akash Deep.
Day 5: Jadeja’s Fight, But No Support
Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul resumed play on Day 5. Pant, struggling with a finger injury, managed only 9. Rahul showed resistance with 39 but eventually fell.
It was Jadeja who stood tall with an unbeaten 61. But the middle order collapsed—Washington Sundar departed for a duck and Nitish Kumar Reddy scored a slow 13.
Jadeja was left to stitch crucial partnerships with the tail. Bumrah played a gritty knock of 5 from 54 balls, and Siraj hung on with 4 from 30. But it wasn’t enough. Under immense pressure, the final wicket fell at 170.
Siraj’s Pain, India’s Missed Chance
For Siraj, the memory is bittersweet. The team fought hard. The belief was there. But the narrow loss still weighs heavily.
“God has given me confidence and strength, but I’ll always remember that moment. We were so close,” he said.
As India heads into the 4th Test, one thing is clear—they’ll be fueled by the heartbreak of Lord’s.
Catch every update on Cricket News, Match Predictions, Fantasy Tips, and Live Cricket Action—only on The Cricket Scores!