Could One Partnership Have Changed the Outcome? Shubman Gill Reflects on Narrow Loss at Lord's

London, July 14 (NationPress) Shubman Gill, the captain of India, acknowledged that a single significant partnership could have shifted the result of the thrilling third Test at Lord's, where England narrowly defeated India by 22 runs, taking a 2-1 lead in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series.

In his reflections on the closely contested match, Gill stated, “This is as tight as a Test match can be. I’m incredibly proud of my team. We battled until the last moment. One 50-run partnership could have flipped the game.”

India, while chasing a target of 193, was bowled out for 170 late in the final session of Day 5, despite a valiant 61 from Ravindra Jadeja and determined contributions from Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Gill, observing from the dressing room, supported Jadeja’s strategy with the lower order:

“He’s very experienced. I didn’t want to send him any signals. He was batting excellently. My aim was for him to keep batting as long as possible alongside the tailenders.”

Gill highlighted several pivotal moments that shifted the match in favor of England — particularly Rishabh Pant's run-out during the first innings. “That was a critical moment,” he remarked. “At one stage, we believed we could build a 50-60 run lead, which would have been vital. We understood that chasing anything between 150-200 wouldn’t be straightforward on this pitch.”

England’s resurgence was spearheaded by Joe Root, who scored a brilliant 104 in the first innings, guiding the hosts to 387 after they were reduced to 44/2. Root’s 37th Test century, his 11th against India, was bolstered by valuable contributions from Jamie Smith (51) and Brydon Carse (56). Jasprit Bumrah showcased his prowess by taking 5 wickets for 74 runs, breaking Kapil Dev's record for the most five-wicket hauls by an Indian in away Tests.

India matched England’s 387, thanks to K.L. Rahul securing his second century in the third Test, along with Pant’s fluent 74 and Jadeja’s 72. Rahul and Pant’s partnership of 141 under pressure marked their third century stand in England, the highest by an Indian duo.

The match turned dramatically on Day 4 when India faltered to 58/4 by the day's end. England's bowlers, led by Archer and Stokes, carried this momentum into Day 5, reducing India to 112/8 before lunch. Nevertheless, Jadeja’s resilience and Bumrah’s quickfire stand offered India a flicker of hope. It ended in despair when Shoaib Bashir, bowling despite a broken finger, bowled Siraj, with the ball trickling back onto the stumps after being defensively played.

“It was a matter of application,” Gill commented. “In that last hour yesterday, particularly the last two wickets, we could have been more disciplined. Even this morning, we required one good partnership, but it didn’t materialize.”

Despite the defeat, Gill expressed optimism: “Sometimes the series score doesn’t accurately reflect how well you’ve performed. We are genuinely excited for the remainder of the series.” When asked about Bumrah’s fitness for the fourth Test, he offered a cryptic smile: “You’ll find out soon.”

As the series moves to Old Trafford, India will aim to regroup and discover that one partnership that could finally swing a tight Test in their favor.