Rahul , Pant , Jadeja helps India equal England total , Lords Test evenly poised

 

A fierce contest is unfolding at Lord’s between India and England, with neither side willing to concede even an inch. The tension reached a new high in the final 10 minutes of Day 3. After India’s first innings ended, there was a scheduled 10-minute break before England's second innings. Ideally, that left time for at least two overs. But England appeared reluctant to take any risks against Jasprit Bumrah and co. and resorted to delaying tactics. Their openers intentionally took time to walk out, then further delayed by slowly taking guard. Surprisingly, the umpires did not intervene.

Once the first over began, Zak Crawley repeatedly interrupted Bumrah’s run-up, complaining about movement near the sightscreen. This visibly agitated the Indian team. Captain Shubman Gill was seen expressing his frustration sharply, and Mohammed Siraj also lost his temper. When Crawley took a minor blow on the glove from Bumrah’s fifth delivery, he unnecessarily called for the physio, further delaying play. Indian players, led by Shubman, clapped mockingly and exchanged sharp words with the English openers. England’s gamesmanship drew heavy criticism.

The nature of the Lord’s pitch had become clear over the past two days — scoring quickly wasn’t easy, but patient batting could yield results. For Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, the first session was a stern test, as bowling sides often try to make early inroads. But the Indian duo came out with a measured mindset. They avoided risks, rotated the strike, and batted with composure. While Pant occasionally unleashed his trademark aggression, Rahul stuck to classical Test technique, marked by immense patience.

Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, and Chris Woakes failed to make breakthroughs in the morning. Pant, after reaching his fifty with a six off Stokes, looked increasingly confident. But just before lunch, in an unexpected lapse, he attempted a quick single to give Rahul a chance to complete his century before the break. A sharp direct hit from Stokes caught Pant short, and to add to India’s misery, lunch was called immediately after — denying Rahul his hundred before the interval. The Indian balcony reacted with visible disappointment.

Rahul did complete his century after lunch, but the concentration that defined his innings wavered soon after. Advancing to drive a delivery from Shoaib Bashir, the ball took the edge and was caught by Harry Brook at first slip. Rahul walked off to a standing ovation, dismissed for exactly 100.

Normally, a collapse might have followed, but Gautam Gambhir’s decision to include extra batting depth paid off. Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Reddy, and Washington Sundar all played responsible knocks. Though a couple of run-out chances emerged during the Jadeja–Reddy stand, both batsmen remained composed. Nitish, in particular, focused on defence, taking 91 balls for his 30.

Jadeja once again underlined his importance in India’s Test middle order. It wasn't just his third successive Test fifty that mattered, but the context in which it came. Without his gritty 72, India might not have been in a competitive position at all. He absorbed pressure with defiance and determination, and though he missed out on a hundred, his innings was worth just as much.

When Jadeja was dismissed, India still trailed by 11 with three wickets in hand. Drama unfolded in the final overs. In the same over where Jadeja was dismissed by Woakes, Akash Deep survived two LBW decisions — both overturned on DRS after umpire Saikat gave him out twice. He then hit Archer for a six, only to fall soon after to a stunning one-handed catch from Harry Brook at second slip, diving to his right to pluck a sharp chance off Carse.

India’s lower order faltered again. Despite hours of net practice, Bumrah and Siraj failed to contribute with the bat, even against ordinary deliveries. While Brydon Carse scored a fifty batting at No. 9 for England, India’s last four wickets fell for just 11 runs. This persistent weakness in the tail remains a concern for coach Gautam Gambhir.