Carse Hails Team Effort as England Regroup After Thrilling Lord’s Victory

England fast bowler Brydon Carse has praised the collective determination of his teammates following last week’s gripping third Test victory over India at Lord’s — a result that gave England a 2-1 series lead in one of the most hard-fought contests in recent memory.

Carse, who played a pivotal role with both bat and ball, said the attritional nature of the win reflected England’s adaptability in pursuit of Test dominance, as they chase series victories over India and Australia this year.

“It wasn’t the usual style of cricket we like to play, but it shows this side can adapt to different situations,” Carse told ESPNcricinfo. “It was incredibly satisfying as a group.”

The 29-year-old contributed a gritty half-century in England’s uncharacteristically patient first-innings total of 387, scored at a modest run rate of 3.44. With the ball, he claimed three crucial wickets across India’s innings, including a game-turning spell late on the fourth day that removed Karun Nair and Shubman Gill using the Lord’s slope to full effect.

“The adrenaline was flowing,” he said. “That spell was a key moment, and to make an impact then felt really good, especially after not having much luck earlier in the series.”

Carse admitted that relief was the overriding emotion when England finally clinched victory late on day five, as Shoaib Bashir — bowling with a broken finger — dismissed Mohammad Siraj to end a valiant Indian rearguard led by Ravindra Jadeja.

“You wanted to fall to your knees,” Carse recalled. “It was unbelievable. The hard work that went into that game was massive. Harry Brook told me it was his best Test win — and hearing that among the group made it even more special.”

The atmosphere, he said, was electric as the team walked off through the Long Room at Lord’s.

“A couple of the guys who’ve played Ashes Tests said that’s the loudest they’ve ever heard the Long Room,” Carse said. “It was a pretty special week.”

With the fourth Test set to begin this week at Emirates Old Trafford, Carse noted that the brief break after Lord’s came at the perfect time, allowing the team to recover from the intense physical and mental demands of the match.

“It was a complete collective effort,” he said. “The pitch didn’t offer much once the ball got old, but all five bowlers contributed. We kept coming with new plans and stuck to the task.”

He was particularly full of praise for captain Ben Stokes, who delivered two exhausting spells — one of 9.2 overs in the morning and another of 10 in the afternoon — to drive the team forward when the Dukes ball had softened.

“Stokesy kept calm and stuck to his method,” Carse said. “That second session was one of the toughest I’ve had in my Test career.”

Carse, who missed the Champions Trophy earlier this year due to a toe infection, confirmed he’s now physically fit — though he continues to go through bowling boots at a rapid pace.

“My feet are never going to be perfect, but they’re in a good enough space. I’m happy with where I’m at physically,” he said, joking about comparisons with Stokes’ own foot issues. “When you're putting eight or nine times your body weight through your action, it takes a toll.”

The Test was as mentally demanding as it was physical, with flashpoints throughout — including a confrontation between Zak Crawley and Gill, and Carse’s own collision with Jadeja.

“That fired us up,” Carse admitted. “We had a chat on the evening of day three when their bowlers were getting stuck into our batters. That shifted our mindset — we were up for the fight.”

Despite the tensions, Carse praised the spirit shown at the end, as England’s players went to console Jadeja and Siraj for their brave stand.

“There’s a line you don’t want to cross, but when you’ve got 10 blokes fighting your corner, it’s pretty cool,” he said. “And I think it’s exactly what the game needed at that time.”

England now turn their focus to Old Trafford, knowing that a win would secure the series. But after Lord’s, it’s clear that this team is prepared to fight every inch of the way.