New Delhi: Jofra Archer’s fiery spell on the final day of the third Test against India at Lord’s proved decisive for England and skipper Ben Stokes revealed that it came from an unexpected dose of inspiration from Sourav Ganguly’s iconic shirt-waving moment on the same ground back in 2002.
Ahead of the crucial final day, Stokes shared a light-hearted conversation with Archer, reminding him of the significance of the day. England won the 2019 World Cup on the same date, but Archer had his own memory lined up.
“He thought it was the day Ganguly took his shirt off at Lord’s,” Stokes chuckled after the game, referring to India’s famous NatWest Trophy final win. Archer may have mixed up the dates, but the spirit of that moment stayed with him as he geared up to break open the match for England.
Ben Stokes said, “I reminded Jofra Archer of today’s date and he said, ‘was it Ganguly waving off his shirt in a World Cup Final?’. He thought that 2002 ODI match was a WC final and took place 6 years ago, I told him, ‘no, it’s the WC we won’ and he was like ‘oh yes’”. pic.twitter.com/1RHzY5YuCH
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 14, 2025
Archer’s spectacular spell
With India chasing a tricky target, Archer’s delivery on Day 5 to dismiss Rishabh Pant was a moment of magic. The sharp delivery left the Indian wicket keeper with no answer, and the breakthrough swung momentum in England’s way. Archer followed it up with a return catch to send Washington Sundar back, helping England tighten its grip on the game.
Stumps knocked back! 💥
And some chat 🗣
BIG wicket ☝ pic.twitter.com/JiJjkzJByX— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 14, 2025
It wasn’t an easy task as India fought hard, reducing the deficit before falling short by 22 runs. Archer’s spell that was guided by instinct and backed by Stokes’ fault turned out to be the turning point in a tense run chase.
Stokes lead by example
England’s captain came fresh from an injury layoff but still bowled a lengthy, grinding spell of 9.2 and 10 overs in the final innings. He admitted the physical and mental toll of pushing for a win as captain was immense, but said he would be ready for the next Test in Manchester on July 23.
“It felt right in my tummy that Jof was going to do something to break the game open,” Stokes said, praising Archer’s impact on a day that demanded heroes.
Stokes also acknowledged the heated exchanges that happened during the Test. He said, “It’s 22 people out there playing for their country. You can understand why tensions rise, but no one will lose sleep over what was said.”
What next?
With a thrilling victory in the bag, England now have a much-needed break before the fourth Test at Old Trafford. Archer’s confidence and Stokes’ resilience will be key as they look to maintain the momentum against a determined Indian side.