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On Day 3 of the third Test, India were in a comfortable position with opener KL Rahul and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant dominating the proceedings. But, at the stroke of lunch, Pant wanted to get Rahul on strike for a quick single who was batting on 99. Soon, it turned into a nightmare as captain Ben Stokes' direct hit caught Pant short of the crease and the partnership was broken. Pant departed for 74. From 248/3, India were bowled out for 387. Scores were level and it was even-steven between two teams. After the 22-run defeat, skipper Shubman Gill rued the run out. However, he does not feel that Rahul's personal milestone (century) led to the run out.
“We talk a lot about this keeping the team’s interest ahead of personal milestones. But I think it was an error of judgment, rather than wanting to score 100 runs. I think he said it would be better if he scored 100 runs before the lunch. A batsman feels pressure at 99 runs, Gill said in the post-match press conference.
“But at the end of the day, I don't think it was personal and he got run out because of his personal milestone. It was an error of judgment. Rishabh made the call. KL Bhai was running at the danger. I would say it was an error of judgment. It can happen to any batsman.
“Having said that, the most important moment for us was Rishabh's run out. At one point, we thought we could take the lead by 50 or 100 runs. We knew it wouldn't be easy to bat on Day 5. The more lead we get in the first innings, the better for us. It puts the other team on the backfoot as well."
Gill gives update on Pant's injury
Pant got injured as he was struck on the index finger of his left hand on Day 1 of the Lord's Test. He had to hand over the wicketkeeping duties to Dhruv Jurel for the remainder of the Test. Gill provided an update on Pant's injury and whether he will be able to play the fourth Test at The Old Trafford, Manchester which starts on July 23. Gill said that Pant "should be fine" as he has plenty of time to recover.
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Pant's numbers in Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025
Pant is the second-highest run-scorer in the series so far. The southpaw has scored 425 runs from six innings at an average of 70.83, including two centuries and as many half-centuries. His strike rate is 78.41, highest for an Indian batter on the tour.
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