Fans Blame KL Rahul For Akash Deep's Dismissal, Ask 'Zarurat Kya Thi?'
It has been a dramatic third Test between India and England at Lord's, and Sunday – day 4 – was no different. Chasing 193, India coped with serious blows as they stumbled to 58/4 at stumps. Jofra Archer drew the first blood, removing Yashasvi Jaiswal for a 7-ball duck. Rahul and Karun Nair tried building a partnership before the day ended, but Brydon Carse trapped in front before treating the Indian captain the same way. With a few overs left in the day's play, India sent Akash Deep as the nightwatchman, but he fell prey to Ben Stokes while doing his job – to protect the set batter.
Stokes cleaned up Akash Deep on the 4 th delivery of the day's final over. But more than the dismissal, the fans are questioning KL Rahul's intent to take a single and give strike to the nightwatchman.
Why kl rahul giving strike to akash deep— ethan (@URaghumanda) July 13, 2025
What was KL Rahul looking for? Taking a single at the last ball when Akash Deep again had to face the bowler and the new ball.When KL Rahul was batting, he took a single at the first ball.
He did it twice.
Result is Deep is done. #INDvENG #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/WhI9Epw7IT
— Villager Anuj Tomar (@Da___Engineer) July 13, 2025
Akash Deep wanted to be protected by KL Rahul. Facepalm.— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh) July 13, 2025
It's hilarious how people are losing their minds over KL Rahul taking a single. Like, do y'all even know what a nightwatchman is for? He is there to shield the established batter, not the other way around! 😭Google is free, c'mon guys
— Shivani Shukla (@iShivani_Shukla) July 13, 2025
Let's understand what a nightwatchman means.
In Test cricket, a nightwatchman is a lower-order batter sent in towards the end of a day's play to shield a more established batter from facing the final overs, especially under testing conditions. The nightwatchman's primary job is to defend stoutly, absorb pressure, and survive the remaining deliveries of the day, ensuring that the key batter can resume their innings fresh the next morning.
Though Akash Deep helped Rahul return unbeaten at stumps, he lost his wicket while performing his duty. India suffered another jolt, and now they are left with just 6 more men to chase down the remaining 135 runs to go 2-1 in the series.
view comments
First Published:
July 14, 2025, 00:21 IST
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
23 minutes ago
- India Today
ENG vs IND: Vaughan praises Jasprit Bumrah's near-perfect new ball spell at Lord's
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has lauded India's spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for his near-perfect spell with the new ball on Day Four of the ongoing Lord's Test. The right-arm pacer hit immaculate lengths on a misbehaving pitch, leaving England's usually aggressive openers-Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett-struggling for answers on a surface that had started to pose real challenges for the was bowled out for 387 in their second innings, leaving just enough time for a minimum of two overs before the close of play on Day Three. However, the incoming English openers had to face only a solitary over before stumps were called on the penultimate day of the third match in the before play ended on Day Three, a heated exchange occurred between Crawley and the Indian fielders after Bumrah struck the opener on the glove with a sharp delivery. Crawley appeared in pain and required treatment from the physiotherapist, leading to just one over being bowled in that short session and visibly unsettling the English pair. With the ball still fresh on Day Four, Bumrah took full advantage of Lord's subtle, but telling slope, delivering a spell of sustained intensity and precision. Though the wickets column may not reflect his dominance, the 31-year-old's fiery spell left a lasting impact."When you've got a Jasprit Bumrah, his spell on the morning of Day Four was up there with the best," Vaughan said on Cricbuzz. "How is Zak Crawley's hand still intact? How didn't he get out-or Ollie Pope during that period-is beyond me. On that kind of wicket, once you've seen off Bumrah, to be bowled out from 145-4... whatever happens in the Test, they should be analysing that. I think we should've got at least 250-270 on that surface."Bumrah repeatedly unsettled the tall right-hander Crawley, forcing him into awkward positions during the first session. The intensity of the spell pinned the English top order back, preventing them from asserting their usual aggressive intent and building pressure as the match gathered teams posted identical scores-387-in their first innings. As often seen in the Bazball era, England aimed to keep the game alive and entertaining, even when a draw seemed a strong possibility. But this high-risk approach can backfire. On a pitch offering unpredictable bounce and movement, attacking bowlers can turn a bold strategy into a sudden collapse."I saw enough in the surface on Day Three. The ball started doing a bit," Vaughan added. "We don't do boring draws-we always create a bit of drama-and the Bazballers generally like to entertain. Not saying that's the reason for the collapse, but I'm sure they'd have wanted another 100 runs."With half a session left on Day Four, India's second innings got off to a rocky start. Despite being visibly fatigued, the English pacers maintained remarkable discipline. Brydon Carse, bowling with rhythm, produced sharp nip-backers to dismiss Karun Nair and in-form skipper Shubman Gill cheaply. Then, Ben Stokes uprooted nightwatchman Akashdeep's off-stump, leaving India tottering at 58/4 at stumps.- EndsTune InMust Watch
Time of India
25 minutes ago
- Time of India
IND vs ENG: 'Main nahi ja raha batting karne' - R Ashwin after Akash Deep sent ahead of Rishabh Pant during Lord's Test
England captain Ben Stokes celebrates dismissing Akash Deep of India (Photo by) India faced a challenging situation on Day 4 when they lost their captain Shubman Gill . With 20 minutes remaining in the day's play, India had lost their third wicket at 42/3 while chasing 193, giving England a significant advantage. In an unexpected move, Akash Deep emerged as the nightwatchman, still adjusting his protective gear. The decision appeared to be made hastily, potentially to protect Rishabh Pant , with Ravindra Jadeja , Nitish Reddy, and Washington Sundar as the remaining out-and-out batting options. Why Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah lost their cool in last five minutes of Day 3 vs England Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! While India managed to protect KL Rahul 's wicket, they still lost their fourth wicket in the form of Akash Deep two balls before stumps. Poll What impact do you think the decision to send in a nightwatchman will have on the match outcome? Positive impact Negative impact No impact at all The decision came under scrutiny, but former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's revelation about Pant's reluctance to bat during late hours provided some context. "I'll tell you a story. Remember that Test match in Mirpur when India were chasing some 140 runs to win? So I was sitting and relaxing in the dressing room after bowling. It was all hot and humid. I was sitting next to the analyst and Rahul Dravid (head coach) was there a little further. After we lost the first two wickets, Rishabh said 'main nahi ja raha batting karne' (I am not going out to bat) to Rahul bhai. There was a good 30-40 minutes left. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo But he said I am not going. When the next wicket fell and the No. 4 batter was supposed to go in, he went inside and they had to send Axar Patel first, I guess, and then Jaydev Unadkat to go in as the nightwatchman," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. This wasn't an isolated incident involving Pant's reluctance to bat in the closing stages of play. Given Pant's current form, he remains crucial for India's chase at Lord's as they aim to take a 2-1 lead. "Rishabh does not like batting in the last 30-40 minutes of the day. That's why they sent Akash Deep. But see, it is about protecting your best batter, yes. But when you send a batter like Akash Deep and then he gets out, it puts you in even more of a situation. When we were playing against New Zealand, the same thing happened. When Virat Kohli got out, Rishabh was not in a mood to go out. Then we had to Siraj. And when he got out, again a proper batter had to go out. " "All in all, it is a catch-22, but today it was ok because it was only 20-25 minutes. Because you want 190, and protecting Rishabh is important. So it's a good decision that he made. But all in all, I want to see how Rishabh goes about his business. The right strategy was to ensure Rahul bats long, but Rishabh could have gone in. 30-40 runs is crucial I'm such a low-chasing total." The decision to send in a nightwatchman reflected the team's strategy to protect their key batsmen during the crucial chase. With India pursuing a target of 193, the management's choices could significantly impact the match outcome. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
‘Horses on Sale': BJP Alleges Congress Buying MLAs Amid CM Karnataka Change Buzz
Why Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah lost their cool in last five minutes of Day 3 vs England Tension boiled over in the final five minutes of Day 3 at Lord's as Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah were visibly fired up.🎙️ TOI Sports' Sahil Malhotra breaks down the exact moments, context, and emotional trigger points that led to the flare-up — all from the ground. 69.7K views | 1 day ago
