London, Aug 15: Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah created a record as they stitched the highest ninth-wicket partnership for India in England and helped their team post 286/8 in 108 overs in the second innings, and took a lead of 259 runs on day five of the second Test at Lord's Cricket Ground.
Shami stole the show with his bat as the right-handed batsman slammed a half-century in the second innings and bludgeoned the England bowlers all round the park. It was Shami's clean hitting that not only dashed the hopes of Joe Root-led side of restricting India to a low total and extract a win.
Shami's knock was laced with five boundaries and a six while Bumrah - who tried a couple of brilliant straight drives but failed to get a boundary - hit a couple of fours in his 58-ball stay. Shami went on slamming his second Test hundred with a four and a six before acknowledging the jeering crowd at Lord's.
The entire Indian side came downstairs at the Lord's and gave a warm reception to the bowlers who put up a great fightback as Team India lost its biggest hope - Rishabh Pant - very early in the morning session on the final day. However, the tailenders Ishant Sharma (16), Bumrah (30*), and Shami (52*) steered the team to a respectable total.
India scored 105 runs from 22 runs in the morning session and lost the wickets of Pant (22) and Ishant. Both the wickets were taken by Ollie Robinson. The rest of the England bowlers remained ineffective as they failed to break the partnership between Shami and Bumrah.
England bowlers resorted to bouncers and tried giving Bumrah a taste of his own medicine on day five after the latter sprayed James Anderson with short-pitched deliveries in the final session of day three. However, the ploy to use bouncers and verbal spats with the Indian speedster didn't work out for it further pumped the Indians up and they ended up adding 77-runs for the ninth wicket.
With India taking a lead of 259 runs, it is confirmed that Virat Kohli and his band are not going to lose the match from this stage. England, on the other hand, will have to show an improved batting performance in the fourth innings to secure a draw because chasing over 4 runs per over on the final day of a Test match is a daunting task.