Shubman Gill has pinpointed Rishabh Pant's run-out as the pivotal moment in India's recent Test defeat against England at Lord's. The narrow 22-run loss was a bitter pill to swallow, especially after a gripping five days of high-quality cricket. The incident occurred on Day 3 when Pant, batting on 74, was run out following a miscommunication with KL Rahul.
According to Gill, Pant's dismissal was a result of an "error in judgment" while attempting to rotate the strike and get Rahul, who was approaching his century, back on strike. Gill clarified that it wasn't a case of prioritizing a personal milestone over the team's interests. Rahul himself acknowledged the situation, stating that there was a conversation before the over, and he felt he could reach his century before lunch, but unfortunately, he hit the ball straight to the fielder. Pant then attempted to get Rahul back on strike, leading to the unfortunate run-out.
The partnership between Pant and Rahul had been crucial, as they had stitched together a 141-run stand that helped India recover from early wickets. At the time of Pant's dismissal, India was in a good position to take a substantial lead. Gill believes that had Pant not been run out, India could have secured a 70 to 80-run lead, which would have significantly eased the pressure of chasing on a challenging Day 5 track.
Gill also defended Rahul, who was at the non-striker's end, emphasizing that Pant made the call for the run. He said that Rahul was at the danger end. Gill said errors of judgment can happen to any batsman.
Despite the setback, Gill praised Ravindra Jadeja's unbeaten 61, which kept India in the hunt until the end. He lauded Jadeja's experience and his ability to bat with the tail, acknowledging his valuable contribution to the team. Gill said that Jadeja is one of the most valuable players in India.
The match was filled with other talking points, including a controversial ball change during England's innings. The second new ball had to be changed after 63 balls because it had gotten out of shape and failed to pass the ring Test. There was also a verbal exchange between Shubman Gill and England opener Zak Crawley on Day 3. Gill played down the incident, attributing it to the heat of the moment in an intense contest. Ben Stokes taunted KL Rahul with a sarcastic clap during Day 4 of the third Test match.
Sunil Gavaskar questioned the technology used in the Decision Review System (DRS) after KL Rahul was given out LBW on Day 5. Gavaskar criticized the ball-tracking technology, suggesting that it favored the home team.
Looking ahead, Gill confirmed that Rishabh Pant, who sustained a blow to his left index finger on Day 1, should be fit for the next Test in Manchester. With England leading the series 2-1, India will need to regroup and address their mistakes to bounce back in the remaining matches.
