Lord's Test In Heated Balance After KL Rahul's Century, Chris Woakes' 3-Fer

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KL Rahul scored his second century at Lord's as India matched England's 387 on day three of the third Test. Rahul (100), Jadeja (72), and Pant (74) led India's innings.
KL Rahul scored his second century at the iconic Lord's as India equalled England's first innings total of 387 on a challenging third day of the third Test. The game remained balanced on a deteriorating pitch.
Alongside Rahul's impressive performance (100 off 177), Ravindra Jadeja (72 off 131) and Rishabh Pant (74 off 112) bolstered India's first innings total.
It will be a challenge for India to bat last on a surface where some deliveries are bouncing sharply and offering turn.
When England batted, Zak Crawley took his time to ensure he faced only one hostile over from Jasprit Bumrah, as the hosts ended the day with a slim two-run lead.
The final five minutes of the third day were dramatic, with Shubman Gill and Crawley involved in a confrontation. The Indian skipper used some choice words to urge the English opener to show some courage against Bumrah.
Jofra Archer's pace was a spectacle, consistently breaching the 90 mph mark. Ben Stokes also made the ball rise sharply from a back-of-length position, with one delivery hitting Nitish Reddy's helmet grille.
Like England, India adopted a cautious approach on the two-paced pitch, scoring at less than 3.5 runs per over.
The lower order consumed many balls but couldn't accelerate the scoring rate. Jadeja, after his third consecutive fifty, edged a delivery from Chris Woakes down the leg side.
Akash Deep had two on-field lbw decisions overturned via DRS but was dismissed after hitting a six.
In the afternoon, Rahul was dismissed by a loose drive after completing his 10th Test century.
Rahul reached his hundred shortly after lunch with a single off Archer, becoming the second Indian batter after Dilip Vengsarkar (three centuries) to score multiple centuries at Lord's.
However, he lost concentration in the next over, driving at a flighted delivery from Shoaib Bashir and edging it to Harry Brook at first slip.
Runs were hard to come by, with India adding only 68 runs in the session.
Bashir had to leave the field after taking a blow on his left finger while fielding off his own bowling.
Poor running between the wickets by Reddy and Jadeja was noticeable, with either player nearly run out three times.
England immediately took the second new ball but didn't gain much from it. Rahul's early dismissal in the session was their only success.
Earlier, Rishabh Pant overcame pain in his left index finger to score an entertaining half-century before being run out just before lunch, leaving India at 248 for four in 64 overs.
With Rahul nearing a century at the other end, Pant attempted an ill-advised quick single in the last over of the session. England skipper Ben Stokes pulled off a brilliant direct hit from cover, giving his team something in a session otherwise controlled by India.
The partnership between Rahul and Pant yielded 141 runs off 198 balls.
Despite his finger injury from day one, Pant made his intentions clear, even against Archer's express pace.
Pant and Rahul were watchful for the first 30 minutes, scoring only 14 runs in seven overs.
The runs began to flow when Rahul perfected a punch off the back foot.
Like their strategy against Shubman Gill, England brought the wicket-keeper close to the stumps to deter Pant from leaving his crease. The move worked briefly until Pant opted for an offensive approach.
During breaks, Pant received treatment for his injured finger from the physio.
India reached 197 for three in the first hour of play. England requested a ball change after the opening hour, which was approved by the umpires. Rahul then punished Brydon Carse with three consecutive fours.
Pant, on the other hand, pulled Ben Stokes over fine leg to bring up his half-century. His second six of the innings was a straight hit down the ground off Bashir.
(With PTI Inputs)
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First Published:
July 12, 2025, 23:51 IST
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