Carse Late Magic Keeps England Hopes Alive on a Thrilling Fourth Day at Lord’s

England Saved by Carse’s Heroics on a Dramatic Fourth Day of the Test

For three days, this Test simmered. On the fourth, it exploded.

Just as the crowd at Lord’s began to wonder whether this third Test between England and India might meander into a dull conclusion, Brydon Carse injected life, energy and drama into proceedings with a stunning late burst that kept England clinging to hope. It was a final-session flourish on Sunday that few saw coming — and it has set up a grandstand finish on Monday.

Carse, bowling with rhythm and venom down the slope from the Pavilion End, removed Karun Nair and India skipper Shubman Gill in quick succession — both pinned leg-before by deliveries that jagged in and stayed low. Then, with the very last ball of the day, Ben Stokes castled nightwatchman Akash Deep to send the home crowd into raptures.

From 45-1 to 58-4, India’s serene cruise towards their target of 193 was jolted off course. The tourists still need 135 more runs, with six wickets in hand and nerves guaranteed.

A Day of Twists, Turns and Tempers

The surface at Lord’s, sluggish and benign for three days, transformed into something far livelier. Suddenly, balls were spitting off a length. The tension between the sides — simmering since Saturday’s on-field flare-up — felt tangible. And the atmosphere in the stands, dominated by a vibrant mix of English and Indian fans, was electric.

Jasprit Bumrah led the morning charge, as he so often does, but it was off-spinner Washington Sundar who inflicted the bulk of the damage. His spell of 4-22 tore through England’s middle order, exposing frailties and punishing poor decisions.

Ben Duckett played an impetuous shot. Zak Crawley, who had battled through Bumrah’s early assault, perished to a familiar loose drive. And Harry Brook — at once brilliant and baffling — twice ramped Akash Deep for boundaries before misjudging a sweep and seeing his stumps scattered.

England Collapse, Then Counterpunch

Carse

England’s innings, though it began with a degree of caution, unravelled rapidly. From 154-4, they lost six wickets for 38 runs. Joe Root, fighting against the grain, grafted for 96 balls to reach 40. Stokes added 33 in equally gritty fashion. But both were bowled — Root by a Sundar delivery that turned more than expected, Stokes undone by one that barely spun.

By the time the tail had been mopped up, England had mustered just 192 — a lead of 192 that looked wholly insufficient. The hosts had lost 12 bowled dismissals across the Test — a record for any England innings on home soil. And when Jofra Archer bounced out Yashasvi Jaiswal for a duck early in India’s chase, it felt more like a token blow than the start of something bigger.

But cricket has a funny way of flipping its script.

Carse Sparks a Revival

Enter Brydon Carse. With England drifting and India quietly ticking along, Carse steamed in with renewed purpose. His first victim was Nair, who shouldered arms to a delivery that angled in and trapped him plumb in front. Gill, who had earlier survived a DRS scare, wasn’t so lucky the second time — his inside edge missing the bat as a nip-backer crashed into the pads.

Suddenly, England were roaring. The fielders, flat for much of the day, found fresh energy. The crowd responded. India’s middle order wobbled. And when Akash Deep walked out as nightwatchman, time-wasting tactics were deployed to see out the day. It didn’t work. Stokes, sensing the moment, summoned a classic inswinger to uproot the stumps. Cue bedlam.

England Not Perfect, But Still in the Fight

Let’s be clear — this wasn’t a polished England performance. The batting was patchy, the decision-making under pressure questionable. Duckett’s rash shot, Crawley’s recklessness, and Brook’s impetuous sweep all contributed to a total well below par.

Even in the field, there were flaws. Chris Woakes shelled a simple return catch off KL Rahul when he was on just five — a drop that could still prove decisive. And while Dhruv Jurel was superb behind the stumps for India as a substitute keeper, England fans might question the rules allowing such a change during a key series.

But what Carse delivered in those final overs was raw, unfiltered fight — the kind that England, for all their imperfections, have come to embody under Stokes and Brendon McCullum.

India’s Chance to Make History

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Despite the wobble, India still hold the upper hand. They need 135 runs, with six wickets remaining and plenty of batting to come. They’ve been the better side across the series so far, particularly with the ball. Bumrah has led magnificently. Siraj, Deep and Reddy have provided fire and control. And Sundar, with his deft drift and subtle variations, has been a revelation on English soil.

If India complete this chase, they’ll enter the record books. Only once before — back in 1930, with Don Bradman in their ranks — has a team conceded as many runs in the first innings at Lord’s and gone on to win.

And yet, with Carse’s burst and the crowd’s roar still echoing into the London night, nothing feels certain anymore.

What They Said

Marcus Trescothick, England batting coach:
“We’d have loved 250 and beyond but we’d have taken 190. It’s all about who holds their nerve now.”

Washington Sundar, India all-rounder:
“Every wicket mattered. This is a big Test at Lord’s and we’re confident we’ll win it.”

Jonathan Agnew, BBC:
“We’re all a bit hoarse after that. Even World Cup finals don’t quite generate this kind of madness.”

The Final Act Awaits

So now, all eyes turn to Monday morning. With India chasing history and England refusing to go quietly, this Test — finally awake after three drowsy days — is delivering a finale worthy of its setting.

Will Carse complete a spell for the ages? Will Bumrah blast through the tail? Or will we see another unexpected hero write their name into cricketing folklore?

Whatever happens, this has already been one of the great days of modern Test cricket. And it might just get better.