Clash of pace titans at Lord's as India and England battle for vital series edge
Clash of pace titans at Lord's as India and England battle for vital series edge
India vs England 3rd Test: The third Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy between India and England begins July 10th at Lord's.
Ben Stokes won his third consecutive toss of the series but made a surprising call at Lord’s by choosing to bat first, breaking from his usual preference to bowl. In the first two Tests, England had opted to chase, but the sunny skies and forecasted 30°C temperatures convinced Stokes to take first strike. Interestingly, this is only the third time he’s chosen to bat first in a home Test, and England lost on both previous occasions.
India’s captain Shubman Gill admitted he was unsure what he would’ve done had he won the toss. He leaned toward bowling first, noting the green tinge on the pitch and the likelihood of early movement. “If there’s anything in the wicket, it’s on the first day and in the first session,” he said.
Both teams made one change from the Edgbaston Test. England brought back Jofra Archer, replacing Josh Tongue, while India welcomed back Jasprit Bumrah, who had been rested, in place of Prasidh Krishna. These returns add serious firepower to both pace attacks, especially with the Lord’s slope expected to assist seam movement.
Stokes spoke of the upbeat mood in the England camp, saying, “It’s been a very well-fought two matches. Everyone likes playing at Lord’s. It’s one of those weeks where you’ve got to enjoy it as much as you can.” Gill, meanwhile, is riding a wave of form, having scored 147, 8, 269, and 161 in the series so far. Though he’s played at Lord’s before in county cricket, this marks his first Test at the iconic venue. “The hard work, when it pays off, is quite satisfying,” he told Ravi Shastri at the toss.
India's impressive comeback in the five-Test series against England was highlighted by a strong win at Edgbaston, which helped erase the disappointment from Headingley. In the first match, India let a winning position slip away, but they responded with determination in the second match, largely due to Shubman Gill’s outstanding captaincy and performance. He scored 430 runs in the match, just behind Graham Gooch's famous performance at Lord's in 1990. Gill led the innings with great skill, achieving a 93% shot accuracy over 386 balls. His strong mindset allowed India to avoid falling into the trap of England's aggressive 'Bazball' style, which had led to his dismissal in the first Test.
India’s recent success came mainly from their fast bowlers, especially Akash Deep, who took full advantage of Bumrah's absence by achieving an impressive ten-wicket match tally. His delivery to Joe Root in the second innings a powerful inswinger received a lot of praise, even leading the MCC to clarify its legality. Mohammed Siraj also showed his importance as a strike bowler in the matches without Bumrah, performing with great accuracy and energy. ogether, the fast bowlers took advantage of the sharp Duke's ball and left England reeling with six players getting out for ducks in their first innings, which highlighted their weakness against top-quality pace bowling.
Even after this heavy defeat, England remains committed to their aggressive fourth-innings approach. Their Bazball strategy has resulted in both exciting wins and heavy losses, including a 336-run defeat at Edgbaston and a 423-run loss to New Zealand in Hamilton. Still, the team continues to pursue even the toughest targets, bravely changing the traditional ways of playing Test cricket.
The return of Jofra Archer at Lord’s adds a fascinating subplot. Back on the ground where he made his name in the 2019 Ashes, Archer is expected to bring surgical precision to England’s bowling attack rather than brute speed, especially with Josh Tongue rested after a heavy workload. On the other side, Jasprit Bumrah fresh from rest is poised to resume his spearhead role and pursue a coveted place on the Lord’s dressing-room honours board. His early strikes at Headingley showcased his enduring ability to bend a game in India’s favour, and his reappearance will further embolden a seam attack that already looks potent.
Team selection reflects a balance of aggression and pragmatism. India is likely to stick with Karun Nair at No. 3 despite modest returns, placing faith in his technique. Washington Sundar’s composed batting at No. 8 and useful overs with the ball have solidified his position over Kuldeep Yadav, as the management seems to favour depth and stability over spin variety.
England’s Squad: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (w), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, and Shoaib Bashir.
India’s Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (w), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, and Mohammed Siraj.