India Faces Uncertain Future in Lord's Test After Batting Collapse
India's Struggles on Day 4 of the Lord's Test
Team India's prospects in the Lord's Test are precarious following a batting collapse on Day 4 of the third match against England in London on July 13. Despite needing to chase a modest target of 193 runs, the Indian team faltered under pressure, concluding the day at 58/4.
India had previously bowled out England for 192, setting a target that seemed attainable on a challenging Lord's pitch. However, the Indian top order failed to build on the momentum created by their bowlers, particularly Washington Sundar, who excelled in England's second innings.
Akash Deep's Night Watchman Role Backfires
In their pursuit of 193 runs, India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal for a duck, courtesy of Jofra Archer. Brydon Carse then compounded India's woes by dismissing both Karun Nair (14) and Shubman Gill (6). It was anticipated that Rishabh Pant would come in to bat, especially as the final session approached.
Unexpectedly, Team India opted to send Akash Deep as a night watchman to navigate the last few overs. This decision proved detrimental as Deep was bowled out by Ben Stokes just before stumps, giving England a significant psychological advantage heading into Day 5.
Questions Arise Over Rishabh Pant's Absence
Following Akash Deep's dismissal, many questioned the management's choice to keep Rishabh Pant from batting during this critical phase. Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin provided insights into this decision during his analysis on Day 4.
On his YouTube channel, 'Ash ki Baat', Ashwin explained that Pant prefers not to bat in the last 30-40 minutes of play, which justified sending Akash Deep. However, he noted that losing Deep only intensified the situation for India.
Pant had previously sustained an injury to his index finger while keeping wickets during England's second innings, leading to Dhruv Jurel taking over the wicketkeeping duties. Nevertheless, Pant later batted at No. 5, scoring a commendable 74 runs off 112 balls and forming a crucial partnership with KL Rahul.
India on the Brink of Defeat
As the match progresses, India is now facing a potential defeat in the third Test of the five-match series against England. Resuming their chase at 58/4, the team quickly encountered difficulties with Rishabh Pant dismissed for just seven runs by Jofra Archer.
KL Rahul, who had been performing well, was also removed by Ben Stokes for 39 runs, leaving India at 81/6. Washington Sundar joined Ravindra Jadeja at the crease, but Sundar's innings was short-lived as he fell for a duck, leaving India struggling at 82/7.
Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy then worked to stabilize the innings, surpassing the 100-run mark before Reddy was dismissed by Chris Woakes at 112/8 just before lunch.