Former Team India cricketer Ravi Shastri has picked Rishabh Pant`s dismissal in the first innings and Karun Nair`s wicket in the second essay as the key moments that helped England come victorious at the Lord`s Cricket Ground in the third Test match.
“The turning point for me in this Test match was, first of all, Rishabh Pant`s dismissal (in the first innings). 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,” Shastri said on `The ICC Review`.
On Day 3, skipper Ben Stokes made Pant return to the pavilion by effecting a run out for 74 runs at the stroke of lunch.
Later, Karun Nair threw his wicket by leaving a straight ball from Brydon Carse, which got hit on the Indian`s pads. Speaking about Nair`s dismissal, Shastri said, “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”.
Despite Ravindra Jadeja alongside Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj`s gritty knocks, India suffered a loss by 22 runs at the Lord`s Cricket Ground.
After facing 181 deliveries, Jadeja scored an unbeaten 61 runs, which included four boundaries and a maximum. On the other hand, Bumrah faced 54 balls and managed to score just five runs, including a boundary. Siraj, too, showcased a strong character by facing 30 balls and scoring four runs.
England`s fierce pacer Jofra Archer and skipper Stokes registered three wickets each to their names. Brydon Carse bagged two wickets, followed by Chris Woakes and Shoaib Bashir, who registered one wicket each. Joe Root went wicketless in Team India`s second innings.
Both teams will now clash against each other for the fourth Test match, starting from July 23 in Manchester. It will be interesting to see if the visitors` lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah makes his appearance for the decider game.
(With PTI Inputs)
