Three great deliveries from Jasprit Bumrah turned hope into despair as England tried to climb a mountain to win the third Test against India at Trent Bridge.
The England faithful may have been wondering when Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes put together a 169-run partnership of amazing patience and fortitude after England were reeling at 62 for four in the morning session of the fourth day, facing a target of 521 to win.
They took the score to 223-4 in the 83rd over. By the end of the day, after 102 overs, England were 311-9, 210 behind with a day to go.
The normally aggressive Stokes, playing his first Test after being found not guilty of affray over a late-night fight, became the epitome of moderation, allowing Buttler to take the fight to India.
The batsman-turned-wicketkeeper due to Jonny Bairstow leaving the field with a broken finger went to his hundred off just 152 balls, with 21 fours, aided by the attacking field that India set. Stokes gently eased his way to his 50 off 147 balls with just five fours.
When they took the score to 231, a deficit of 290, there must have been hope that if they could see out the day, the game was on.
But up stepped Bumrah with the new ball and delivered one that was full and straight, rapping Buttler on the knee roll. He reviewed, obviously, believing it was high, but the tracker showed it was clipping middle stump and the call went to the umpire.
And that was that.
Bairstow strode out with a padded hand, but was never given a chance with a brilliant, angled delivery from Bumrah that held its line and scattered the stumps.
Chris Woakes, hero of the second Test with a maiden hundred, lasted three balls and fell to a riser from Bumrah which he fended off to the keeper.
Hardik Pandya, the five-for hero of the first innings, which reduced England to 161, then got into the act by catching the edge of Stokes’ hesitant defensive bat, sending him back with an admirable 62 off 187 balls.
From 231-4 to 241-8, with Bumrah taking 3-6 in two overs, the game was over.
He went on to take five, having Stuart Broad caught behind, but he will regret that he overstepped when Adil Rashid edged to second slip.
For the record, Rashid was on 30 off 55 balls and Jimmy Anderson was on eight off 16 when stumps were drawn. Entry will be free for day five.
After two humiliating losses, this result puts India back into the frame and introduces huge doubts into the minds of the English selectors. Apart from the fact that Bairstow will certainly be out of the fourth Test, their top order needs serious consideration.
