As India prepares for the upcoming third Test against England at Lord’s, former head coach Ravi Shastri has reflected on one of India’s most memorable overseas victories — the 151-run win at the same venue during the 2021 Test series.
It was a game that highlighted India’s fierce pace attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, and Ishant Sharma, who dismantled England’s batting order on the final day. England were bowled out in just 52 overs, handing India a famous victory.
“Unleash Hell” – Shastri Shares a Powerful Dressing Room Memory
Shastri praised then-captain Virat Kohli’s aggressive mindset and leadership, which he believed played a key role in setting the tone for the victory.
“Off the field and on the field, (his personality) is like chalk and cheese,” Shastri said on Sky Sports. “Off it, he is a mellow, chilled guy, but on it, he is a beast. He is at you, he is at your throat, he’ll look you in the eye, and play hard cricket.”
Shastri revealed that the team’s strategy was simple heading into the final day: set England a challenging target and let the bowlers do the rest.
“We had a chat in the morning (of Day 5) and all we said was, ‘try and get England to chase 170, and we’re winning this.’ We knew if we gave them 170-180 to chase, we could win this game with the attack we had. We had an excellent attack.”
Despite being seen as underdogs heading into the final day, India’s lower order turned the tide. Shastri recalled how the morning newspapers heavily favoured England, but the mood shifted dramatically thanks to a vital last-wicket partnership.
“Every newspaper had England as favourites. I used to pick up the papers in the morning and on the bus, I read all of this,” Shastri shared. “We reached the ground and the last-wicket partnership adds another 100. That lifted the dressing room… That’s when he said: Unleash hell,” he added.
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