• The first blow for India on Day 5 of the Lord's Test came from England’s express pacer Jofra Archer.

  • Archer delivered a thunderbolt to shatter Rishabh Pant’s off stump and ignite the home crowd at Lord’s.

ENG vs IND [WATCH]: Jofra Archer roars in celebration after shattering Rishabh Pant’s off-stump on Day 5 of Lord’s Test
Rishabh Pant and Jofra Archer (Image Source: X)

The first blow of Day 5 of the Lord’s Test came from England’s express pacer Jofra Archer, who delivered a thunderbolt to shatter Rishabh Pant’s off stump and ignite the home crowd at Lord’s. With India under immense pressure in their second innings and chasing a tricky fourth-innings target, Pant’s early dismissal for 9 further dented their hopes.

Jofra Archer thunderbolt left Rishabh Pant clueless on Day 5 of Lord’s Test

Pant’s dismissal on Day 5 was a textbook example of fast bowling precision from Archer. Bowling from wide of the crease, Archer angled the ball in towards off stump before it subtly straightened off the seam,  a dream delivery for any pacer. Pant, usually aggressive and confident, appeared indecisive and was caught in his crease, offering a half-hearted defensive prod. Crucially, he made no foot movement and instead relied purely on his hands to block, a risky choice against high pace and movement. The ball zipped off the surface at 89.6 mph, beat the outside edge, and sent the off stump cartwheeling in dramatic fashion.

The seam position was perfect, tilted slightly towards slips, allowing natural deviation after pitching. Pant’s body language suggested he didn’t read the movement, almost expecting it to come in rather than shape away. His bat came down slightly late and away from his pad, creating a narrow gate for the ball to sneak through. With no conviction in his shot and minimal backlift, he simply couldn’t cover the late movement. The dismissal underlined Archer’s skill, pace combined with control and late seam. Pant had struck two boundaries earlier, giving India hope, but his fall at 71/5 was a major dent. Archer’s celebration said it all, arms spread wide, scream unleashed, as Lord’s roared back to life. For India, it was a massive blow to their already fragile second innings, and for England, it was the breakthrough that opened up the game.

Here’s the video:

Also READ: ENG vs IND: Here’s how much fine was slapped on Mohammed Siraj for aggressive send-off to Ben Duckett on Day 4 of Lord’s Test

England close in as India crumble in final innings chase at Lord’s

Day 5 at Lord’s opened with India needing 193 to win and all eyes on KL Rahul to anchor a tricky chase. However, Archer lit up the morning with raw pace and precise seam movement, removing Pant with a ripper that clattered the top of off. Pant’s dismissal at 71/5 was followed swiftly by Rahul himself, trapped lbw by Ben Stokes after a DRS review, departing for a resilient 39 that had held India’s innings together.

With that, India slumped to 81/6, and the slide didn’t stop there. Archer returned to strike again, dismissing Washington Sundar off a tame return catch, reducing India to 82/7 before the first hour had ended. The collapse was a product of superb English discipline with the ball, Stokes led tactically from the front, using himself and Carse cleverly to exploit movement and bounce, while Archer’s three-wicket burst tilted the match firmly. India’s lower order now has to find 111 more runs, with just three wickets remaining. Ravindra Jadeja remains unbeaten, but with little support left, England’s victory looks within touching distance.

Also WATCH: ENG vs IND: Ben Duckett’s razor-sharp sledge unsettles Indian captain Shubman Gill on Day 4 of the Lord’s Test

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