England defeated India by 22 runs in the third Test of the ongoing five-match series at Lord’s. Following the loss, Indian captain Shubman Gill expressed pride in his team’s efforts despite the narrow defeat.
Chasing a target of 193, India were bowled out for 170 in the fourth innings. Ravindra Jadeja stood out with an unbeaten 61, but the rest of the batting lineup—particularly the top and middle order—struggled to contribute. England’s Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer both claimed three wickets each, playing a crucial role in India’s collapse.
Earlier in the match, England posted 387 in their first innings, powered by a century from Joe Root. India responded strongly, matching the score with a 387-run total of their own, thanks to a brilliant hundred by KL Rahul. In the second innings, the Indian bowlers bounced back to dismiss England for just 192, leaving a target of 193, which ultimately proved just out of reach.
“Tremendously Proud of the Effort”: Shubman Gill Reflects on India’s Defeat at Lord’s
Despite India’s narrow loss in the Lord’s Test, captain Shubman Gill expressed immense pride in his team’s performance. Speaking at the post-match presentation, Shubman Gill emphasized the hard-fought nature of the game and shared confidence in the team’s chase until the very end.
“Extremely proud,” Shubman Gill stated. “It was five days of intense, competitive cricket that came down to the final session and the last wicket. I’m tremendously proud of the effort from the entire team. I was quite confident about our chances in the chase.”
He acknowledged that India fell short in building crucial partnerships, which ultimately tilted the game in England’s favor. “With plenty of batting left, I was confident, but England kept the pressure on. We were hoping to stitch together a couple of 50-run stands at the top, but we couldn’t manage that. They played better cricket overall.”
Gill also praised Ravindra Jadeja for his vital unbeaten knock of 61 in the second innings, crediting his experience and calm approach during a tense phase of the match.
“He (Jadeja) is very experienced. I didn’t feel the need to send any specific message. He was doing a great job with the tailenders, and my only wish was for them to bat as long as possible,” said Shubman Gill.
Reflecting on the crucial turning points, Shubman Gill admitted India could have shown more resilience, particularly during the final hour of Day 4.
“I think we could’ve applied ourselves better in the last hour yesterday, especially regarding the last two wickets that fell. Even this morning, England executed their plans well. We were banking on at least one solid 50-run partnership in the top order — if we had gotten that, things might have played out differently,” Gill concluded.
England captain Ben Stokes was named Player of the Match in the Lord’s Test for his impressive all-round performance. With this victory in the third Test, England have taken a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. The two sides will now face off in the fourth Test at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester, starting on July 23.
