ENG vs IND 2025: 'With a little bit of luck, India could have been 3-0 up in Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy' - Ravi Shastri
"If the top order had just been a bit tougher and mentally stronger towards the end of Day 4, this game would have been India's," Ravi Shastri said while analysing the third Test at Lord's.
India are trailing 1-2 in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 against England after suffering defeats in Leeds and London. They won the Birmingham Test, but former India head coach Ravi Shastri feels that with a little bit of good fortune, Shubman Gill and Co. would have been leading 3-0.
The third Test at Lord's was a closely-contested encounter, with England emerging victorious by 22 runs. Shastri opined that Rishabh Pant getting run-out while batting on 74 in the first innings proved to be the turning point.
"With a little bit of luck, India could have been 3-0 up. The turning point for me in this Test match was, first of all, Rishabh Pant's dismissal [in the first innings]. Ben Stokes-simply outstanding presence of mind to hit the right end and pull it off on the stroke of lunch. Because India were in the driver's seat," Shastri said while speaking on The ICC Review with Sanjana Ganesan.
Shastri noted that the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj showed that there wasn't any demon on the surface, and a bit more resilience from the top-order batters towards the end of Day 4 would have ensured victory for India.
"That was a huge lapse in concentration. It turned things around. Because once the ball got older, you saw how solid Siraj, Bumrah and Jadeja were in defence. If the top order had just been a bit tougher and mentally stronger towards the end of Day 4, this game would have been India's," Shastri added.
When the going got tough, they seized the moments: Shastri
Shastri applauded England for seizing the crucial moments in the Test match. The cricketer-turned-commentator recalled the Test match between India and England at the Home of Cricket in 2021 and mentioned its similarities with the most recent encounter between the two cricketing powerhouses.
"You have to compliment England. When the going got tough, they seized the moments. When they saw a crack in the door, they kicked it wide open. There was hardly anything in that surface. If India had lost two wickets fewer the previous day, they would have chased it down," Shastri said.
Nair's dismissal was turning point in Lord's Test: Rahane
"It reminded me of the 2021 Test here. On that occasion, India batted first, similar scorelines, and a collapse in the second innings. Back then, India won. This time, it was England," he added.
Download Our App