Jofra Archer disrupted India's plan on Day 5 of the third Test at Lord's and landed the biggest blow of the day to the visitors by getting rid of Rishabh Pant. Archer didn't end there as he rubbed salt into India's wounds by unleashing a wild celebration and gave India's star wicketkeeper-batter an aggressive send off. He was also spotted giving mouthful to Pant following his furious celebration.
Jofra Archer gives aggressive send off to Rishabh Pant
The incident occurred in the 21st over of India's innings. Earlier in the over, on the third delivery, Pant had displayed his attacking intent by stepping down the pitch and hitting a well-timed boundary off Archer. However, Archer quickly adjusted his strategy, improving his length and targeting the stumps more effectively. On the fifth ball of the over, Archer changed his approach by bowling from wide of the crease and angling the ball directly towards the left-handed Pant. The ball swung in naturally before seaming away off the pitch, ultimately clipping the top of the off-stump.
Pant, attempting a defensive shot, was visibly surprised by the movement of the ball. Before he could fully comprehend his dismissal, Archer was seen running past him, reportedly shouting something in his direction with evident aggression. The moment was captured on video and widely discussed.
Watch the video here:
Meanwhile, the fall of Pant's wicket put India in a precarious position in the match. Pant, known for his aggressive batting and in good form recently, was expected to play a crucial role in guiding the team towards their target. His dismissal for just nine runs off 12 balls will undoubtedly be a disappointment for him and the Indian team. It was also noted that Pant appeared to be struggling with some discomfort during his brief innings. The morning session proved to be challenging for India as they lost three big wickets within the first hour of play. Archer was instrumental in this setback, claiming two of those wickets, while Ben Stokes accounted for the other, dismissing a well-set KL Rahul. Sundar also departed without scoring.
As of 32.1 overs India were placed 100/7 on Day 5 with Nitish Reddy (5* off 27) and Ravindra Jadeja (14* off 34) are currently intact on the crease.