Legendary Sunil Gavaskar feels Rishabh Pant’s run out in the first innings was the turning point of the Lord’s Test between India and England. India suffered a 22-run loss to concede a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
After England was bowled out for 387 runs in the first innings, India was going strongly at 248-3 with Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul at the crease. However, Pant was run out just before the lunch break on day three when he was looking to get KL Rahul on strike.
Pant was dismissed after scoring 74 and his run out ended the 141-run alliance with KL Rahul. England captain Ben Stokes was able to hit the bullseye, and the home team bounced back into the contest.
Sunil Gavaskar said on Sony Sports via India Today, “That was the biggest turning point of the match. Both batters were going so well—splendid batting from them. It was like a fire-and-ice combination. Rahul was all calm precision, playing calculated strokes, while Rishabh Pant brought power and punch, really putting pressure on the England bowling attack.”
“It was a rollicking partnership, and then, just in that last hour before lunch, the run-out changed everything. Yes, we did manage to get to the 100-run mark after lunch, but a run-out like that can linger in the mind. Maybe that’s why, after the hundred, there was just a slight lapse—a shot that got Rahul out. So, in a short span, India lost two well-set batters. Suddenly, two new batters had to come in and build a partnership from scratch—and that’s never easy,” he added.
On the other hand, the former Indian captain reckons Ravindra Jadeja could have been a tad more proactive in his batting approach after the all-rounder scored an unbeaten knock of 61 runs off 181 balls but his efforts went in vain.
“A partnership of 60-70 would have made a difference. India never got that. You could say that Jadeja could have taken the odd chance and not necessarily the aerial route when Joe Root and Shoaib Bashir was bowling. But full marks to him (Jadeja).”
The fourth Test match between England and India will be played at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, from July 23 onwards.
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