London, UK– Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has identified two critical moments that, in his view, decisively swung the momentum of the third Test at Lord’s in England’s favour. Speaking after India’s narrow 22-run defeat, which saw England take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, Shastri highlighted Rishabh Pant’s first-innings run-out and Karun Nair’s second-innings dismissal as pivotal in the thrilling contest.
Pant’s Crucial Run-Out on Day 3
Shastri specifically pointed to Rishabh Pant’s dismissal for 74 runs at the stroke of lunch on Day 3 as the initial turning point. He lauded England captain Ben Stokes for his exceptional “presence of mind” in effecting the run-out.
“The turning point for me in this Test match was, first of all, Rishabh Pant’s dismissal (in the first innings),” Shastri stated on ‘The ICC Review’. “Ben Stokes…simply outstanding presence of mind to hit at the right end and pull it off on the stroke of lunch. Because India would have got a lead and they were in the driver’s seat.” Pant’s wicket denied India a potential first-innings lead after both teams had scored 387.
Karun Nair’s “Huge Lapse” Opens the Door
The second pivotal moment, according to Shastri, occurred in India’s second innings on Day 4. With India at 41 for one, chasing 193, Karun Nair (alongside KL Rahul) seemed to be rebuilding the innings. However, Nair was adjudged leg before wicket after offering no shot to a straight delivery from pacer Brydon Carse.
“Having said that, again at 40/1 (in the second innings), I thought that was a huge lapse in concentration from Karun Nair to leave a straight ball, a nothing ball, to leave it and open the door for England. I thought that the timing of that dismissal turned things around,” Shastri explained. Following Nair’s wicket, India dramatically collapsed from 42 for two to 82 for seven, handing a significant advantage to the hosts.
Top Order Prudence and Series Outlook
Shastri also opined that India’s top-order batters should have shown more prudence in the second innings, particularly towards the end of Day 4. He noted that the lower order, including Ravindra Jadeja (who fought valiantly with an unbeaten 61), Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj, displayed much greater composure once the ball was older. “If the top order had just been a little tougher and mentally stronger on Day 4, towards the end, this game would have been India’s,” he asserted.
Drawing parallels to India’s win at Lord’s in 2021 when he was head coach, Shastri acknowledged England’s ability to seize crucial moments. “You have to compliment England. When the going got tough, those moments they seized. And when they saw an opening in the door, they just banged their door down,” he said, also praising Stokes’ marathon bowling spells on the final day.
Despite the 2-1 deficit, Shastri remains confident in India’s ability to bounce back, suggesting that with a “little bit of luck,” India could have been 3-0 up in what has been a “riveting” series. The fourth Test between the two sides is scheduled to begin in Manchester on July 23.
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