Follow UsEverything was going perfectly for India in the first session of the third day at Lord’s. They had scored 103 runs in 22.2 overs, and with four balls left for the Lunch break, it was just a matter of blunting them down or playing them with ease to go back triumphant and enjoy the delicious food at Lord’s.
KL Rahul was on 98* and Rishabh Pant on 74*, with the latter having batted through a lot of pain which was emanating from the bruise on his left index finger. However, Pant threw it all away when he decided to challenge Ben Stokes’s arm for a non-existent single in the infield.
It was the third ball of the over by Shoaib Bashir, and the tall English off-spinner just bowled it slightly full outside the off stump. Pant defended it towards the off side, and set off for a run. However, Stokes was stationed in the cover region, and he ran like a Spartan to collect the ball, turn around, and throw directly at the stumps on the non-striker’s end.
Pant had probably no idea that the throw was so accurate because he didn’t even attempt to put a dive as he fell short considerably of making the crease and was adjudged runout.
With only 14.3 overs left for the new ball, India would have hoped that they would dominate England some more so that they trail by less than 70-80 runs when the new ball is thrown into Jofra Archer’s hands. However, that perfect plan and session until then was blemished by Pant’s reckless running.
India will now have to consolidate before the new ball, with only the all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Washington Sundar left to bat on this pitch which is largely flat, but is also susceptible to see a few wickets falling in cluster like we saw on early Day 2 when England were batting.