London [UK], July 14 : Following his side's 22-run loss to England in the third Test at Lord's, Indian skipper Shubman Gill termed wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant's run out during the team's first innings as one of the key moments of the match and gave an update on swashbuckling batter's finger injury.
Despite the heroics of the tail-end and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in the end, India fell short by 22 runs at Lord's and are trailing by 2-1. One of the game's turning points was the end of a 141-run partnership between KL Rahul and Pant during the end of first session on day three, which sank India to 248/4. While India still managed to score 387 runs in reply to England's first innings score of 387 runs, Pant with his counter-attacking ways could have added some more runs to the total and given Team India a lead.
Speaking on the run-out during the post-match presser, Gill said it was an "error of judgement" and it was KL in fact, who was in danger.
"The most important moment for us was Rishabh's run-out. At one point, we felt that we could have taken the lead by 50 or 100 runs. We knew that batting on Day 5 would not be that easy," said Gill.
"It was an error of judgement. I think KL must have spoken with Rishabh about getting his hundred before lunch, because a batter is also under pressure. But I would not consider it a run out due to a personal milestone, but it was an error of judgement, As soon the ball was hit, Rishabh made the call. And it was a danger to KL Bhai. It could happen with any batter," he added.
On Pant's finger injury, Gill said that he would be available for the next Test at Manchester from July 23.
"I think Rishabh went for scans and there is no major injury there. So, I think he should be fine for the next test match," Gill said.
England won the toss and opted to bat first. England was reduced to 44/2, but a 109-run stand between Ollie Pope (44 in 104 balls, with four boundaries) and Joe Root (104 in 199 balls, with 10 fours) and a counter-attacking 84 run stand for the eighth wicket stand between Brydon Carse (56 in 83 balls, with six fours and a six) and Jamie Smith (51 in 56 balls, with six fours) took England to 387.
Jasprit Bumrah (5/74) was the highlight for India with the ball.
In the second innings, India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal early, but a 61-run stand between Karun Nair (26 in 46 balls, with five fours) and KL Rahul and a 141-run stand between KL (100 in 177 balls, with 13 fours) and Rishabh Pant (74 in 112 balls, with eight fours and two sixes) took India close to England's score.
A brilliant half-century from Ravindra Jadeja (72 in 131 balls, with eight fours and a six) and lower-order contributions from Nitish Kumar Reddy (30) and Washington Sundar (23) took India to 387, with nothing separating the sides.
Chris Woakes (3/84) was the top bowler for England in this innings.
In England's second innings, India continuously kept England under pressure, except for a 67-run fifth wicket stand between Root (40 in 96 balls, with a four) and Stokes (33 in 96 balls, with three fours). Sundar (4/22) delivered a game-changer spell, running through the middle-order and bundling out England for 192. India was set 193 to win.
During the run-chase, Team India was reduced to 82/7. However, Jadeja (61* in 181 balls, with four boundaries and a six) was not in a mood to give up. He put up resilient partnerships with the lower-order batters that put England under tension, but Mohammed Siraj's unlucky dismissal, where the ball spun back to the stumps following its landing on the pitch hurt a million of hearts as India was bundled out for 170.
India trails 1-2 in the series. Stokes won the 'Player of the Match' for his handy knocks of 44 and 33 and total of five wickets in the match, including a three-wicket haul taken in the second innings taken in tandem with Jofra Archer, who also got three wickets.
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