Day three at Lord`s began with India facing the significant task of building a competitive total against England. The morning session saw a determined effort from KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant, forging a valuable partnership that promised to shift the momentum. Batting on a surface that offered little assistance to the bowlers, the pair displayed commendable discipline in the initial phase, weathering the early spells before finding their rhythm.
KL Rahul, inching closer to what would be his second century of the series, provided the anchoring presence. He navigated the English attack with composure, picking off boundaries strategically to accelerate India`s scoring rate after a period of relative quiet. His batting was a study in controlled aggression, punishing anything slightly off line or length, notably against Brydon Carse who came under fire with boundaries through square leg and the gully-point region.
At the other end, Rishabh Pant brought his unique brand of fearless cricket. Batting with an apparent discomfort to his dominant hand, he nonetheless attacked with typical flair. He wasted no time setting the tone, dispatching Jofra Archer for early boundaries. Facing Ben Stokes, who deployed a consistent short-ball tactic, Pant responded in characteristic fashion – hooking a delivery flat over the long-leg boundary, a shot that not only brought up a hard-earned fifty but also saw him surpass Viv Richards` record for the most sixes against England in Test cricket. Even with Shoaib Bashir`s introduction just before lunch, Pant welcomed the spin with a straight six, demonstrating his intent.
The partnership between Rahul and Pant blossomed, adding 141 runs and lifting India significantly from a precarious position. They guided the score towards respectability, seemingly setting the stage for a strong push post-lunch. However, cricket, especially at Lord`s, often reserves a twist. Just as the teams were preparing to break for the interval, a moment of hesitation and a lapse in judgment brought the productive stand to an abrupt end.
Eager to retain the strike with Lunch imminent, KL Rahul, stranded on 98 not out, called for a risky single after Pant defended a delivery from Bashir to the off-side. Ben Stokes, demonstrating sharp awareness and athleticism, sprinted in from covers and unleashed a pinpoint direct hit at the non-striker`s end. Rishabh Pant, caught short, had to depart for a well-made 74. It was an avoidable dismissal, highlighting the fine margins at this level and providing England with a crucial breakthrough right on the stroke of lunch.
The session, productive for India in terms of runs added and the resilience shown by the batting pair, concluded on a sour note with Pant`s unfortunate run-out. India went into the lunch break at 248 for 4, still trailing England`s first-innings total significantly, but having at least built a foundation thanks to the now-broken fourth-wicket partnership.
Brief scores: England 387 lead India 248/4 (KL Rahul 98*, Rishabh Pant 74) by 139 runs.
