After a poor outing on the first two-and-a-half sessions of Day 4 of the Lord's Test, England came back with a bang as they fought back with the ball, disrupting the Indian batting lineup.
England took 4 wickets before stumps on Day 4 and followed it up with another 4 in the first session of Day 5 in a show of complete dominance with the ball.
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With England at the brink of a victory at the 'Home of Cricket,' former English pacer Stuart Broad feels that the performance is not just about skill, but it also involves a lot of emotion.
Stuart Broad reveals what fired England up after Zak Crawley-Gill exchange
The former English pacer, Stuart Broad, attributed England's aggressive intent on Day 5 to a heated exchange between the two sides that involved Zak Crawley.
The incident occurred right at the fag end of Day 3, when Zak Crawley's delaying tactics to avoid an extra over did not please the Indian side and eventually resulted in a heated exchange between the batter and the Indian skipper Shubman Gill, who yelled “Grow some b***s” at the batter.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the first session 1 of Day 5, Broad revealed that India's verbal aggression backfired, energising Ben Stokes’ side rather than unsettling them.
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Broad stated, "Stokes is a hugely competitive character who raises his game for big scenarios. What would have fired him up in this game was the Indian team targeting Zak Crawley in that one over; he wouldn't have liked the fact that one of his players out there on his own had a team going at him."
"I can't remember the last time I have seen the England team this verbal and all over the opponent, that was ignited on that last over of Day 3, and Stokes is leading that, bowling and chatting and making the opposition feel the pressure," added the former English great.
'I can't remember the last time England were this fired up!' 🔥
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 14, 2025
Stuart Broad on how Ben Stokes has led England in the field 🙌 pic.twitter.com/JRAr39xKeC
Meanwhile, the two sides are still battling it out for a victory at the Home of Cricket. The result of this game is crucial in all aspects with respect to the series. The winner goes to Manchester for the 4th Test with a 2-1 lead and a huge advantage in the 5-match Test series.