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STUMP VISION JULY 25, 2025 | The Indian Eye 42

Battered at Lord’s: India’s

Bitter Collapse and the No. 3

Conundrum

Despite a late fightback, India’s agonizing loss in the third Test exposed deeper batting issues, over-reliance

on all-rounders, and a glaring hole at the top of the order.

ASIM KHANNA
across 20 Tests, collectively averaging
London (UK) just 32.67, with all three centuries—
scored solely by Shubman Gill—com-
t the iconic Lord’s Cricket ing on home soil.
Ground — a venue of glory
Aand heartbreak for genera- This instability has created a vac-
tions of Indian cricketers — Team uum in the most crucial part of India’s
batting lineup — right after the open-
India endured one of its most crush- ers and just before the engine room.
ing Test defeats in recent memory. A The loss at Lord’s also reignited
22-run loss to England in the third the debate around workload manage-
Test of the five-match series wasn’t ment — particularly in the case of Jas-
just painful because of its closeness, prit Bumrah. Former all-rounder Irfan
but because of what it revealed: a Pathan questioned India’s cautious
fragile top order, the absence of a use of Bumrah, especially when Ben
dependable No. 3, and the feeling Stokes, despite his own injury history,
that, once again, India let a Test slip bowled 44 overs and delivered decisive
from its grasp. final-day spells.
From being in a winnable position
“Ben Stokes didn’t think about
at the end of Day 4 to folding for 170 workload at all,” said Pathan. “He
while chasing just 193, India’s batting does everything. If he can bowl a nine-
crumbled when it mattered most. For over spell for his country, then we fell
a team aspiring to dominate in all con- short in this aspect.”
ditions, the failure to chase a modest By contrast, Bumrah, who was
target in the fourth innings felt like a rested for the second Test at Edg-
step backward — and a sobering one baston, bowled 43 overs at Lord’s
at that.
but wasn’t used aggressively during
key pressure moments. The contrast
WHAT WENT WRONG? with England’s captain — who batted,
bowled long spells, and executed a
he match had all the makings run-out — was glaring.
of a classic. Both teams post-
Ted near-identical first innings Karun Nair plays a shot during the third Test match against England at the Lord’s in London
scores (India 387, England 387), and (BCCI X/ANI Photo) ENGLAND’S GRIT, INDIA’S
the contest swung like a pendulum REGRET
through the four days. A late lower-or- ofra Archer, returning after four
der revival led by Ravindra Jadeja, Ni- Pant was batting on 74. His run- decision to move on from Pujara post years away from red-ball cricket,
tish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, out shook the innings and allowed En- the 2023 WTC final, India has rotat- Jhit 150 kph speeds and disman-
and Jasprit Bumrah brought India ag- gland a psychological edge just before ed five different players — Shubman tled the Indian middle order with
onizingly close to the finish line. But a crucial interval. Gill, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Sai match figures of 5/105. He bowled with
ultimately, it was Ben Stokes’ relent- Behind this collapse lies a deeper Sudharsan, and Karun Nair — with no rhythm and venom, raising questions
less spells and Rishabh Pant’s first-in- problem that’s haunted India for the one making the spot their own. about whether India underestimated
nings run-out that proved decisive. past 18 months: the absence of a sta- The current occupant, Karun his readiness.
As Ravi Shastri pointed out on ble, confident No. 3. Nair, has shown flashes of talent
Ravi Shastri was candid in his as-
The ICC Review, the turning point For over a decade, Cheteshwar but lacks consistency. His leave to sessment: “England seized those small
was Pant’s dismissal: “Ben Stokes, Pujara held the fort at that spot, grind- a straight ball at 40/1 in the second moments. When they saw an opening
simply outstanding presence of mind ing out runs, absorbing pressure, and innings was described by Shastri as in the door, they just banged it down.”
to hit at the right end and pull it off exhausting bowling attacks. He suc- “a huge lapse in concentration.” Even with all the tactical errors
on the stroke of lunch. Because India ceeded Rahul Dravid as India’s wall, The numbers paint a grim pic- and missed chances, India had the
would have got a lead and they were in scoring 6,529 runs in 94 Tests at No. 3 ture: since Pujara’s exit, India has
the driver’s seat.” at an average of 44.41. But since the tried five different players at No. 3 Continued on next page... >>

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