India entered the third morning at Lord’s in control. KL Rahul was nearing a well-earned hundred. Rishabh Pant looked steady. England had few answers.
Then came the mistake.
Turning Point: Pant’s Run-Out Changes Everything
Pant, batting through a hand injury and seemingly in rhythm, made a judgment call in the final over before lunch. He nudged the ball toward cover, aiming to get Rahul on strike for his hundred.
It backfired.
Ben Stokes didn’t hesitate. Sprinting in, he went for the stumps. Pant was gone. The celebration that followed wasn’t joy — it was tension released. England had been second-best all morning. That moment gave them an opening.
After the break, Rahul brought up his century but fell soon after, caught off a Shoaib Bashir delivery that drifted late and kissed the edge. India had lost both set batters in just 11 balls.
Jadeja, Reddy Fight Back as Archer Threatens
Ravindra Jadeja and newcomer Nitish Kumar Reddy faced the pressure next. England saw a chance to collapse India’s innings.
Reddy’s entry was anything but smooth. He nearly ran himself out twice. Got hit on the helmet. Missed the ball more than once. But he stayed.
Jadeja, too, wasn’t rattled.
Stokes brought back Jofra Archer for a second spell just minutes after his first ended, trying to make use of the second new ball. Archer bowled fast, frequently hitting 90mph. Lord’s responded to every delivery. But his rhythm wasn’t quite there. The new ball fizzed, but often wide. India left alone 11 of the first 24 deliveries.
The pair calmed things down and put on a fifty-run stand. By the end of the day, India still trailed by 72 runs, but had a foothold.
Rahul’s Century Adds to Historic Tour
With his hundred, KL Rahul now has two centuries in three Tests on this tour. It’s been a shift in approach for him. Where he once fixated on results, he now talks about presence. Effort without obsessing over the outcome.
India, as a team, has eight centuries on this tour — a record for them in an away series.
For Rahul, it’s been about letting go of the pressure. And in that, maybe finding more freedom.
Pant Plays Through Pain, Bashir Leaves Field
Rishabh Pant’s innings wasn’t flashy, but it was distinctively his. Reverse scoops. Fall-away slashes. Sixes off the first ball of spin.
He played on despite a visible hand injury, occasionally needing physio support. His run-out wasn’t reckless — it was intended to help Rahul. But the timing was wrong.
On the other side, Bashir’s celebration for dismissing Rahul didn’t last long. He picked up a finger injury while fielding a powerful straight drive from Jadeja and left the field. His role in the match now hangs in question.
England’s Grit Finds Reward
England didn’t dominate, but they stayed in it. They held their nerve. Their reactions after Pant’s dismissal said as much. It wasn’t just about getting a wicket. It was about survival — emotional, strategic, and necessary.
The Test is still open. India may regret the moment it slipped from their grasp. England will feel like they pulled it back just in time.
