India were all over England on the third morning at Lord’s. Runs were flowing, the batsmen were in control and England had no answers.
Rishabh Pant was batting through pain, KL Rahul was closing in on a hundred and everything was going India’s way till the final over before lunch.
That’s when disaster struck. Pant, trying to hand over strike to Rahul, was run out. It was a moment that not only ended a brave innings but gave England a lifeline in the game.
India scored 103 runs in 22.3 overs in the morning. Rahul batted calmly and controlled, Pant brought his usual flair even with a finger injury.
He reached his eighth Test fifty in England and smashed his 88th six in Tests, closing in on Sehwag’s record of 90 for India.
Everything was going perfect till Pant made a late call for a run. Ben Stokes turned quickly and hit the stumps with a direct throw. Pant was gone and with him India’s grip on the session slipped a bit.
This wasn’t a loose shot or a brain-fade moment. Pant was trying to get Rahul to his hundred.
He was also fighting through visible pain from his injured hand. He took risks, played aggressive shots and refused to back down.
But the timing of the run-out couldn’t have been worse just before lunch. Former India coach Ravi Shastri didn’t mince words.
He called it “absolute suicide before lunch” and added, “If you’re in the Indian dressing room, you’re not looking for a hundred, but a big hundred.”
England were struggling to break the partnership. Their captain Stokes was bowling quick, trying short balls and pushing hard.
That direct hit was all they needed. His celebration showed how much it meant—and it also fired up the team.
In a game that was slipping away, that run-out gave England something to build on.
Rishabh Pant’s dismissal hurt more because of the kind of innings he was playing. He showed heart, aggression and commitment. But one wrong decision took him out and gave England a reason to believe.
India are still in a good position but now they need to start again. Rahul holds the key and the rest of the batsmen must make sure Pant’s fall doesn’t change the story of this Test.
