Former India coach reveals game-changing moments that cost his team at Lord’s recently. Ravi Shastri pointed out two crucial mistakes that changed the entire match outcome. India lost the IND vs ENG 3rd Test by just 22 runs after fighting hard.
The Two Big Mistakes That Hurt India
Shastri believes Rishabh Pant’s run out before lunch on Day 3 changed everything completely. The wicket-keeper was batting beautifully on 74 runs when he threw away his wicket. This dismissal gave England the momentum they needed to control the match again.
Karun Nair made another costly mistake early in India’s second innings chase attempt. He left a straight ball alone, thinking it would miss the stumps badly. The ball hit his stumps directly, leaving Shastri shaking his head in disappointment.
“The turning point for me in this Test match was, first of all, Rishabh Pant’s dismissal (in the 1st innings),” Shastri said. “Having said that, again at 40/1 (in the 2nd innings), I thought that was a huge lapse in concentration from Karun Nair to leave a straight ball, a nothing ball, to leave it and open the door for England. I thought that the timing of that dismissal turned things around,”
These two moments showed how quickly cricket matches can change with poor decisions. Shastri thinks both batsmen lost concentration at the worst possible time for India. The former coach believes better focus could have won India the match.
How India’s Tail Wagged When It Mattered
The IND vs ENG 3rd Test became a nail-biter thanks to India’s lower-order heroes. Jadeja smashed some incredible shots that had English fielders diving everywhere desperately. Bumrah and Siraj surprised everyone by actually knowing how to hold a bat.
India needed 193 runs but their top batsmen had already messed things up. The tail-enders showed more guts than the supposed stars when pressure mounted. Shastri couldn’t believe how much heart these bowlers displayed with the bat.
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England’s bowlers kept chipping away at wickets whenever India built some hope. Stokes rotated his bowlers perfectly to stop India from getting too comfortable. The match went down to the wire with fans on both sides biting their nails.
What Shastri Said About Ben Stokes
Former India coach reveals game-changing moments but also praises England’s captain for his leadership. Shastri thinks Stokes grabbed every opportunity that came his way during the match. The English captain made smart decisions when the game was hanging in balance.
“Ben Stokes, simply outstanding presence of mind to hit at the right end and pull it off on the stroke of lunch. Because India would have got a lead and they were in the driver’s seat,” Shastri said.
Stokes never panicked even when India’s batsmen started swinging their bats wildly. The IND vs ENG 3rd Test defeat means India now trails 2-1 in this series. India’s backs are against the wall heading into Manchester – they simply cannot afford another loss.
