Gill Laments Lack Of Key Partnership In Narrow Loss At Lord’s

LONDON (IANS)- India captain Shubman Gill admitted that just one substantial partnership could have altered the outcome of the gripping third Test at Lord’s, where England edged India by 22 runs to take a 2-1 lead in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series.

“This is as close as a Test match can get,” Gill reflected on the narrow defeat. “I’m extremely proud of my boys. We fought till the very end. One 50-run partnership would have changed the game on its head.”

Chasing 193, India were bowled out for 170 deep into the final session on Day 5. Despite Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten 61 and gritty stands with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, it wasn’t enough. Watching from the dressing room, Gill backed Jadeja’s approach with the tailenders: “He’s very experienced. I didn’t want to send him any message. He was batting brilliantly. I just wanted him to bat as long as he could with the tailenders.”

Gill highlighted a few defining moments that swung the match England’s way, notably Rishabh Pant’s run-out in the first innings. “That was a huge moment,” he said. “At one point, we thought we could get a 50-60 run lead, which would’ve been crucial. We knew chasing anything around 150-200 wouldn’t be easy on this pitch.”

England’s fightback had begun with Joe Root’s masterful 104 in the first innings, helping the hosts reach 387 after being reduced to 44/2. Root’s 37th Test ton — his 11th against India — was supported by handy contributions from Jamie Smith (51) and Brydon Carse (56). Jasprit Bumrah returned a fiery 5/74, surpassing Kapil Dev’s record for most away Test fifers by an Indian.

India matched England’s score with 387 of their own, riding on K.L. Rahul’s second century of the series, Pant’s fluent 74, and Jadeja’s 72. Rahul and Pant added 141 under pressure — their third century stand in England, the most by an Indian pair.

The game tilted dramatically on Day 4 when India stumbled to 58/4 by stumps. England’s bowlers, led by Archer and Stokes, carried the momentum into Day 5, reducing India to 112/8 before lunch. Still, Jadeja’s defiance and Bumrah’s resilient 54-ball stand gave India a glimmer of hope. Heartbreak ensued when Shoaib Bashir, bowling with a broken finger, bowled Siraj, the ball trickling back onto the stumps after being dead-batted.

“It was a matter of application,” Gill stated. “In that last one hour yesterday, especially the last two wickets, we could’ve applied ourselves better. Even this morning, we needed one good stand, but it didn’t come.”

Despite the loss, Gill struck a hopeful note: “Sometimes the series scorecard doesn’t reflect how well you’ve played. We’re really excited for the rest of the series.” On Bumrah’s fitness for the fourth Test, he offered a teasing smile: “You’ll get to know pretty soon.”

As the series heads to Old Trafford, India will look to regroup and find that crucial partnership that could finally tilt a tight Test in their favour.