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England clinched a dramatic 22-run victory over India in the third Test at Lord’s, taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series. Despite being in favourable positions multiple times, India ultimately faltered.
Here are three key reasons why India lost to England at Lord’s:
1. Batting collapse at crucial junctures
India’s batting struggled under pressure across both innings, especially during the chase of a modest 193-run target on the final day. India, resuming at 58/4 on Day 5, lost four wickets for just 54 runs to slump to 112/8 by lunch. Their chase had begun poorly: Yashasvi Jaiswal fell for a duck, Karun Nair failed to build on a start, and captain Shubman Gill departed cheaply. KL Rahul, who had been an anchor, saw his defensive approach undone by an unplayable delivery from Ben Stokes. Only Ravindra Jadeja offered resistance with an unbeaten 61, but with little support from the rest, India were bowled out for 170, well short of the target.
Earlier, in the first innings, India were in command at 376/6 with Jadeja and Nitish Reddy at the crease but collapsed to 387 all out, losing their last four wickets for just 11 runs. This failure to capitalize on strong positions and close out the innings allowed England to claw back into the contest.
2. England’s relentless fast bowling and tactical pressure
England’s pace attack, led by Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, proved decisive. Both bowled marathon, hostile spells, relentlessly targeting India’s batters with pace, movement, and aggression. Stokes’ extraordinary 14-over spell on the final morning wrested back the initiative, including the crucial wickets of KL Rahul and others. Archer, too, claimed key scalps and unnerved the lower order.
Brydon Carse contributed vital wickets, and Chris Woakes struck just before lunch to remove Nitish Kumar Reddy, compounding India’s woes. Shoaib Bashir chipped in with a crucial wicket despite a finger injury. England’s tactical use of field placements and aggressive bowling changes pressured India into mistakes, particularly during the collapse in the chase.
3. Missed opportunities and costly errors in the field
Critical fielding lapses and indecisive running further hurt India’s chances. KL Rahul dropped a straightforward catch off Jamie Smith when the latter was on 5. Smith went on to score 51, a contribution that provided invaluable lower-order runs for England and ultimately made a significant difference in such a close contest.
India’s momentum was also stalled by Rishabh Pant’s run-out in the first innings after a 141-run partnership with Rahul. The miscommunication not only led to Pant’s departure for 74 but triggered a mini-collapse, stalling progress when India appeared poised to take a substantial lead.
Additionally, questionable tactical decisions—such as promoting Washington Sundar above Nitish Reddy and some rash shots under pressure—suggested moments of panic in the Indian camp. Decision-making mistakes, both by players and in the team’s strategy, proved costly in this high-stakes encounter.
