NEW DELHI: A captivating Test series delivered another intense twist as England edged past India by 22 runs in a thrilling third Test at Lord’s on Monday, taking a 2-1 lead with two matches remaining in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. India were staring at defeat at 147 for 9, still requiring 46 more runs to reach the 193-run target, when Mohammed Siraj joined Ravindra Jadeja at the crease. The duo resisted until after the tea break on the final day, giving India a glimmer of hope for an improbable win.However, just as the visitors began to believe, Siraj was dismissed by Shoaib Bashir. The right-hander offered a defensive shot to the off-spinner, but the ball turned back sharply and clipped the leg bail, bowling India out for 170.As England erupted in celebration, Siraj looked devastated, and Jadeja remained unbeaten on 61, having batted for nearly four and a half hours to register his fourth straight half-century of the series.Following the heartbreaking defeat, India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant shared an emotional message on social media.“We fought hard, but sometimes the game doesn’t go your way. Test cricket never stops teaching,” Pant posted.Pant’s run-out, while attempting a second run to help KL Rahul complete his century just before lunch on Day 3, was described by India captain Shubman Gill as an “error of judgment,” clarifying it wasn’t driven by personal milestones.Speaking to the media after the narrow loss, Gill said Pant’s dismissal on 74 proved to be a decisive moment in the match.
“We talk a lot about this keeping the team’s interest ahead of personal milestones. But I think it was an error of judgment, rather than wanting to score 100 runs. I think he said it would be better if he scored 100 runs before the lunch. A batsman feels pressure at 99 runs.“But at the end of the day, I don’t think it was personal and he got run out because of his personal milestone. It was an error of judgment. Rishabh made the call. KL Bhai was running at the danger. I would say it was an error of judgment. It can happen to any batsman.
“Having said that, the most important moment for us was Rishabh’s run out. At one point, we thought we could take the lead by 50 or 100 runs. We knew it wouldn’t be easy to bat on Day 5. The more lead we get in the first innings, the better for us. It puts the other team on the backfoot as well,” said Gill.
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