5th Test: Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow star as England beat India by 7 wickets

Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow‘s unbeaten centuries on the last day of the fifth test at Edgbaston on Tuesday guided England to a 7-wicket victory against India.

England were chasing 378 and needed 119 more runs to win on Day 5. The side cruised to 378-3 half an hour before lunch with Root and Bairstow remaining unbeaten on 142 and 114 respectively.

The Yorkshiremen came together soon after tea on Monday with the side losing three wickets in the space of 16 deliveries.

Both batters then commanded India’s pace threat of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj with a 269-run partnership at more than 5 runs per over.

Also Read: Joe Root, with 28th Test century, passes Virat Kohli, Steve Smith’s tally

Root hit 19 fours and one six while Bairstow struck 15 boundaries and one six in his 145 ball innings. It was Bairstow’s second ton of the match as he had made 106 off 140 balls in England’s first innings.

Skipper Jasprit Bumrah (2/74) was the only Indian bowler to take a wicket in England’s second innings. He ended the match with five wickets. Mohammed Siraj, on the other hand, had taken four wickets in England’s first innings.

Also Read: India vs England: Bumrah breaks Kapil Dev’s record with Ollie Pope’s wicket

England’s victory meant that the five-match Test series, which spilled over to this year due to COVID-19 cases in the Indian camp last year, ended in a 2-2 draw.

This was the fourth time England chased down a target of over 250 in the fourth innings, the earlier three being against New Zealand in their 3-0 home Test series win last month. 

Brief Scores:

England: 284 & 378/3 in 76.4 overs (Joe Root 142 not out, Jonny Bairstow 114 not out, Alex Lees 56; Jasprit Bumrah 2/74) beat India 416 & 245 by seven wickets.