A direct hit by England captain Ben Stokes found Rishabh Pant short on the non-striker’s end at the stroke of lunch, ending a crucial 141-run partnership with KL Rahul as India were 248-4 at the break on day three of the third Test, after England posted 387 in the first innings. From Leeds to Lord’s, India have frustratingly lost wickets just before lunch right through this series in England. Pant’s needless run-out is the latest example.
Third Test:
Over 65.3: Rishabh Pant run out (Ben Stokes) 74 (248/4)
Things were going all India’s way in the first session of Day 3 of the third Test, when the completely avoidable run-out happened. Quick, risky singles in Test cricket make very little sense, especially when the team is in full control of proceedings. India had barely put a foot wrong in the morning session thanks to the KL Rahul-Rishabh Pant partnership. But with Rahul on the verge of the century, in the last over before lunch, the two batters took off for a single after Pant tapped a length ball towards cover. Ben Stokes, as he tends to often, came up with a game-changing moment by turning and throwing towards Pant’s end, and a brilliant direct hit ended Pant’s stay. Rahul, meanwhile, reached his century after lunch but was immediately dismissed on 100.
Second Test:
Over 23.3: Karun Nair c Harry Brook b Brydon Carse 31 (95/2)
At Edgbaston, just one over before lunch on Day 1, with the score once more in the 90s, Nair edged one behind to slips from a length delivery that rose awkwardly at him. It was another start that the former Karnataka batter didn’t convert in this series. But thankfully for India, that dismissal didn’t cost too much as Shubman Gill went on to score a mammoth 269 in the first innings in a match where he scored 430 runs to power India’s charge to victory. But the first session of the match once more saw India lose a wicket just before lunch, just as they did in Leeds.
First Test:
Over 24.5: KL Rahul c Joe Root b Brydon Carse 41 (91/1)
At Headingley, it wasn’t one, but two wickets on the verge of lunch. Asked to bat first by Stokes, India were having a solid first session that frustrated England but they struck twice before the first session ended. First to go was Rahul, chasing at one outside offstump, going for a drive through cover. He had been playing that shot quite well previously but edged this one to Root at slips.
Over 25.4: Sai Sudharsan c Jamie Smith b Ben Stokes 0 (92/2)
Then, on his Test debut, Sai Sudharsan was dismissed down the leg side for a duck as Stokes brought about another dismissal out of nowhere. It was a poor shot from the rookie as he edged a ball he could have easily left alone and Smith did the rest. The left-hander hasn’t played in the next two matches.
