Did Shastri Identify the Key Moments in India's Lord's Defeat?

New Delhi, July 16 (NationPress) Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri highlighted significant moments in India's close loss during the final day of the third Test at Lord's. He emphasized Rishabh Pant's dismissal in the first innings and Karun Nair's wicket in the second as critical points that shifted the momentum towards England, just when India appeared to be gaining control.

England's bowlers, particularly Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes, initiated a shocking collapse in the last phase of Day 4 and the start of Day 5, ultimately bowling India out for 170 while chasing 193 runs, despite a commendable effort from Ravindra Jadeja, the ICC No.1 ranked Test all-rounder.

“For me, the pivotal moment in this Test match was undoubtedly Rishabh Pant's dismissal (in the first innings),” Ravi Shastri shared during the latest episode of The ICC Review.

India's vice-captain Pant was batting confidently at 74 when he defended a delivery from Shoaib Bashir to the off-side. Ben Stokes, positioned at cover point, executed a direct hit at the non-striker's end, catching Pant short of his crease and resulting in his dismissal.

“Stokes displayed remarkable awareness to make that direct hit just as lunch approached. Had Pant remained, India would have established a lead and been in a commanding position,” he remarked.

“Later, at 40/1 in the second innings, Karun Nair's lapse in judgment to leave a straightforward delivery opened the door for England. I believe that dismissal was crucial in turning the tide,” Shastri added.

“When Siraj, Bumrah, and Jadeja batted, they were solid in defense after the ball had aged 40 overs. They managed to reduce the target to 22, and it seemed inevitable that India would chase it down quickly.

“However, the drop from 82 to 22 was significant. This illustrates that if the top order had displayed greater resilience and mental strength on Day 4, the outcome could have been different,” he further explained.

Shastri acknowledged that while India held advantages during various stages of the match, England deserved recognition for capitalizing on their chances.

“You must give credit to England. When faced with challenges, they seized those moments. They exploited any opening they saw. The pitch offered little assistance, and had India lost fewer wickets the previous day, they would have chased it down,” he asserted.

This Test at Lord's was memorable, with both teams scoring 387 in their first innings before Washington Sundar took four wickets on Day 4, dismissing England for 192.

Shastri compared this match to India’s thrilling victory at the same venue in 2021, stating, “It reminded me so much of the Test match in 2021. On that occasion, India batted first. The scorelines were strikingly similar, 300, 300, and then a collapse in the second innings. India won then; this time it was England.”

“Nonetheless, it’s an exciting series, with two matches remaining. Anything can occur. India can rebound quickly, and if that happens, the final Test at The Oval will be electrifying. Over the span of these fifteen days, the series has been captivating. With a bit of luck, India could have been leading 3-0,” Shastri concluded.

The teams are now set to travel to Manchester for the fourth match of the five-match ICC World Test Championship series, with England currently ahead 2-1.