England completed a sensational victory over India at Edgbaston on Tuesday after completing a record chase of 378 in the fifth and final Test – with Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root the standout performers.
Ben Stokes’ revitalised team powered their way into the history books with a staggering seven-wicket success as heroics from Bairstow and Root led them to an undefeated stand of 269.
Bairstow made 114 not out for his second hundred of the match and his sixth this year, continuing a purple patch that has redefined his whole career, while Root’s 142 not out was a masterclass that took him to 28 Test tons.
Here, Sportsmail‘s LAWRENCE BOOTH delivers player ratings for both countries.
England secured a stunning win vs India thanks to the heroics of Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow
England
Alex Lees – 7
Got the chase off to a flyer — his best innings yet for England. Gave Kohli as good as he got, but has now been run out in successive Tests.
Zak Crawley – 6
Fans got a glimpse of the ‘high ceiling’ England keep talking about when Crawley helped Lees put on 107 in the second innings.
Ollie Pope – 2
Keeps blowing hot and cold — not helped by a wild drive in the first innings. Found himself in the eye of a Bumrah storm in the second.
Ollie Pope continues to blow hot and cold for England after a wild drive in the first innings and being caught out by Jasprit Bumrah in the second
Ben Stokes – 8
Imbued his players with an endless supply of confidence, and bowled the spell in India’s second innings that kept England in the hunt. Hell-bent on setting the example with the bat, too.
Joe Root – 9.5
Stepping down from the captaincy was the best thing he ever did. Received a first-innings brute from Siraj, but batted like a deity in the run-chase.
Jonny Bairstow – 10
Two hundreds in the Test, four in his last five innings. The world is his oyster.
Bairstow was unstoppable with 114 not out while Joe Root batted like a deity for 142 not out
Sam Billings – 7
Helped Bairstow take England to a workable total in the first innings, and kept tidily enough.
Matthew Potts – 6
Four big wickets, including Kohli, but costly in the first innings. Even so, keeps making a good impression.
Jimmy Anderson – 8.5
A phenomenon. Six more wickets, including a 32nd Test five-for, takes his haul for 2022 to 18 at 22 apiece. To think England dropped him for the Caribbean.
Jimmy Anderson was a phenomenon at Edgbaston with six more wickets to take his 2022 haul to 18 – the perfect response to being dropped in the Caribbean
Stuart Broad – 4
Ticked off 550 Test wickets, but went for 35 in an over after being instructed by Stokes to bounce Bumrah. His 15 Test wickets this summer have cost 38 each.
Jack Leach – 5
Was hit about by Pant on the opening day. Removed him quickly second time round, after Stokes had the courage to throw him the ball.
India
Shubman Gill – 2
Twice failed to get past Anderson’s opening burst – though not the first to suffer that fate.
Cheteshwar Pujara – 7
Opened in both innings of a Test for the first time in seven years, and held the top order together in the second.
Hanuma Vihari – 5
Lasted over an hour in both innings, but couldn’t make his starts count.
Rishabh Pant – 9.5
India’s one-man Baz-baller. His first-day 146 off 111 balls was a masterpiece in counter-attacking, and he backed that up with a second-innings 50.
Rishabh Pant delivered a masterclass in counter attacking with 146 off 111 balls for India
Virat Kohli – 5
Unlucky against Potts in the first innings, he could do nothing about a Stokes snorter in the second. His sledging riled up Bairstow.
Shreyas Iyer – 5.5
Briefly looked the part twice, but was strangled out, then bounced out.
Ravindra Jadeja – 7.5
Batted superbly on the first day in partnership with Pant, but didn’t take a wicket with his left-arm spin.
Jasprit Bumrah – 8
Superb with the new ball in both innings in his first Test as captain, and helped take 35 off an over from Broad.
Bumrah (centre) was superb with the new ball in both innings during his first Test as captain
Shardul Thakur – 3
One of the heroes of India’s heist at The Oval last summer never got into the game, despite removing Stokes.
Mohammed Shami – 5
Bowled with his customary lack of luck, but could do nothing about England’s late onslaught.
Mohammed Siraj – 6
Fiery in the first innings, when he removed Root and the tail, but looked a lamb to the slaughter in the second.
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