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Ben Stokes-led England comfortably chased down the highest-ever target that has ever been chased against India by any team in the rescheduled fifth Test match at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Jonny Bairstow was rewarded with Player of the Match for his outstanding batting effort which included 106 off 140 in the first innings and an unbeaten 114 off 145 in the second innings.
Former England skipper Joe Root and India's stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah were honoured with Player of the Series for their incredible performances in the five-match Test series. In response to India's 416 in 1st innings, the hosts were restricted to 284 giving the visitors a lead of 132 runs in the second innings.
While India delivered an impressive batting display in the 1st innings on the back of Rishabh Pant's 146 and 104 from Ravindra Jadeja, the visitors could not repeat the same performance in the second innings and were bundled out for 245 on Day 4.
India posted a mammoth 378 as the target for the hosts and appeared favourites after reducing England at 109/3. But, England's inform batters, Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root notched up an unbeaten 269-run partnership to seal a comprehensive win for the side.
Notably, England levelled the five-match Test series by 2-2. Post-match, England skipper Stokes talked about the game and revealed that he wanted India to post around 450 as the target to see if his team is capable of chasing that target.
"There was a bit of me that almost wanted them to get 450, to see what we'd do," Stokes said after the match. Notably, England has been earning a lot of appreciation for changing the way they play red-ball cricket and newly appointed head coach Brendon McCullum has been widely credited for inspiring the England players to play "Bazball" form of cricket.
The term is widely used to describe the way former New Zealand skipper and current Test coach Brendon McCullum used to play his cricket by attacking the opponent bowlers and putting pressure on them.
Ever since Ben Stokes and McCullum has been appointed at the helm of affairs in England's red-ball cricket, the side has taken an aggressive approach in red-ball cricket and courtesy of that they successfully thrashed World Test champions New Zealand in three-match home series.