Ben Stokes delivers crucial run out for England against India
- India's Rishabh Pant scored a strong 74 runs before being run out by Ben Stokes.
- KL Rahul reached a century with 100 runs, contributing to a significant partnership.
- Despite the run out, England struggled throughout the day, ultimately trailing India.
During the third Rothesay Test at Lord's, England faced a challenging day against India as the visitors pushed closer to ensuring a strong position in the match. India started day three strongly, building on their overnight score with a significant partnership between Rishabh Pant and Kl Rahul, who made 74 and 100 runs respectively. Their performance added substantial pressure on the English bowlers, who struggled to make breakthroughs in the oppressive heat. It was Ben Stokes who eventually broke the drought by executing a perfectly timed run out of Rishabh Pant just three balls before lunch, after India looked set for a wicketless session. Stokes' remarkable throw resulted in Pant's dismissal and signaled an important moment for England, who were fighting to maintain their first-innings lead. Following lunch, England capitalized on the momentum carried from Pant's wicket and managed to dismiss KL Rahul as well, leaving the score at 316 for five at tea. Despite their efforts, England found it difficult to capitalize on the early breakthroughs. The middle session proved frustrating for the English bowlers as another run-out opportunity was squandered, pointing to a lack of precision that characterized much of their gameplay. The combination of Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul's strong partnership had pushed India towards parity, and Ingland's bowlers were required to dig deeper to regain control. The introduction of Jofra Archer added some excitement with fast bowling, hinting at the potential performance improvements the English side needed. After the tea break, potential opportunities arose, but the execution fell short once again, revealing the vulnerabilities in England's fielding and bowling on this sweltering day at Lord's. Overall, while Ben Stokes' individual brilliance brought a moment of relief to England, the overall performance highlighted that they needed to regroup and strike decisively against a resilient Indian batting lineup.