Sourav Ganguly Expresses Disappointment Over India's Narrow Loss at Lord's
Ganguly's Reaction to India's Defeat
Following India's defeat at Lord's in the third Test against England, former captain Sourav Ganguly expressed his disappointment, stating he believed India should have successfully chased down the modest target of 193 runs, especially given their strong batting performance throughout the series.
The match concluded with Mohammed Siraj's unfortunate dismissal, where the ball unexpectedly rolled back onto the stumps, ending India's determined effort and leaving Ravindra Jadeja stranded after a heartbreaking 22-run loss.
Despite dominating significant portions of the match, India fell short, with Jasprit Bumrah being a standout performer, claiming seven wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings.
Reflecting on the close defeat, Ganguly remarked, "I feel a bit let down because, based on their batting display in this series, India should have secured this win... The batting talent in this team is exceptional. I believe they will feel more disappointed than I do..."
In the match, England won the toss and chose to bat first.
After a shaky start at 44/2, England recovered thanks to a significant 109-run partnership between Ollie Pope (44 off 104 balls, including four boundaries) and Joe Root (104 off 199 balls, with 10 fours), along with a counter-attacking 84-run eighth-wicket partnership featuring Brydon Carse (56 off 83 balls, with six fours and a six) and Jamie Smith (51 off 56 balls, with six fours), leading England to a total of 387.
Jasprit Bumrah's performance (5/74) was a highlight for India with the ball.
In India's second innings, they lost Yashasvi Jaiswal early, but a 61-run partnership between Karun Nair (26 off 46 balls, with five fours) and KL Rahul, followed by a 141-run partnership between KL (100 off 177 balls, with 13 fours) and Rishabh Pant (74 off 112 balls, with eight fours and two sixes), brought India close to England's score.
Ravindra Jadeja's impressive half-century (72 off 131 balls, with eight fours and a six) and contributions from lower-order batsmen Nitish Kumar Reddy (30) and Washington Sundar (23) helped India match England's total of 387.
Chris Woakes (3/84) was England's leading bowler in this innings.
In England's second innings, India maintained pressure, except for a 67-run fifth-wicket partnership between Root (40 off 96 balls, with a four) and Stokes (33 off 96 balls, with three fours). Sundar's impressive spell (4/22) dismantled England's middle order, bowling them out for 192, setting India a target of 193 runs.
During the chase, India found themselves in trouble at 82/7. However, Jadeja (61* off 181 balls, with four boundaries and a six) fought back, forming resilient partnerships with lower-order batsmen that put England under pressure. Unfortunately, Siraj's unlucky dismissal, where the ball spun back onto the stumps, dashed hopes as India was all out for 170.
With this loss, India now trails 1-2 in the series. Stokes was named 'Player of the Match' for his valuable contributions of 44 and 33 runs, along with taking five wickets in the match, including a three-wicket haul in the second innings alongside Jofra Archer, who also claimed three wickets.