The England-India Test rivalry, now named the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, has produced some of the most thrilling encounters in cricket history. From nail-biters
that went down to the final hour to Tests that changed the result on Day 5, this rivalry has seen drama and unforgettable moments. Recent clashes have seen last-day finishes and new stars performing on the big stage.
Here are the three final-day thrillers of the IND vs ENG Test you can’t miss:
3. India tour of England, 2025 - Lord's Test
The Lord’s Test of 2025 was one of those games where every moment felt like a turning point. England registered a 22-run win and went 2-1 up in the five-match series. Given a mere target of 193 to win, India collapsed to 82/7 on the final morning before Ravindra Jadeja’s 61 gave them hope. He stitched notable stands with Nitish Kumar Reddy and Jasprit Bumrah, taking India within 23 runs of a famous win. But Ben Stokes kept pushing, eventually removing Bumrah after a 54-ball fight.
The final blow came when an injured Shoaib Bashir dismissed Mohammed Siraj. Bashir tossed the ball up, with Siraj defending only for it to roll back to the stumps, ensuring England's narrowest win at Lord's/
2. India tour of England, 2018 - Birmingham Test
The 2018 Birmingham Test between England and India was one of the nerve-wracking games. The contest witnessed the momentum swinging both ways till the fourth day before England eventually beat India by just 31 runs.
India were chasing 194 on a tough pitch with Virat Kohli leading the fight. Kohli, who had already scored a sensational 149 in the first innings, scored a 51 in the second. But Ben Stokes dismissed the Indian captain and broke India's back. Despite Hardik Pandya’s late fight, England sealed the win as the last three wickets added just 21 runs. Sam Curran earned the Player of the Match award for his all-round brilliance.
This Test remains one of the closest India-England contests, with its drama, grit, and edge-of-the-seat thrill. Notably, this is the third narrowest Test result between the two countries.
1. India tour of England, 2025- The Oval Test
India stunned England at the Oval in Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 with a six-run win, their narrowest in Test history. Chasing 374, England were in the driving seat at 301/3 with centurions Joe Root and Harry Brook in the middle. However, Mohammed Siraj (5/104) turned the tide as he inflicted a collapse.
The final morning was absolute cinema, with England needing 35 runs with four wickets in hand. Siraj dismantled the tail, claiming the last wicket with a perfect yorker to bowl Gus Atkinson and seal a brilliant victory.
Siraj, who had earlier misjudged Brook's catch that went for six, made a comeback to close the match, making it one of India's greatest Test moments. With this win, India drew the series 2-2 and created history with their tightest-ever Test triumph. Notably, this was the first Test series for both teams in the ongoing WTC 2025-27 cycle.
