After Pant's dismissal at 74, Rahul got out at 100.
Opener KL Rahul admitted that a sudden shift in momentum on Day 3 at Lord’s cost India their strong position in the third Test. India were cruising at 247 for 3 just before lunch, but things quickly changed. Shoaib Bashir was bowling the last over before the break when Rishabh Pant got run out in a moment which Rahul later described as not ideal.
The batter spoke to the media after the end of Day 3. Rahul said that a couple of overs before lunch, he had told Pant that he would try to get to his hundred before the break. When he took a single off the first ball of that over, Pant was a bit unhappy. He felt it was a ball that could have been hit for four instead.
“Not ideal. I told him (Pant) that I will get my hundred if possible before lunch. And with Bashir bowling that last over before lunch I thought there’s a good chance for me to get it, but, yeah, unfortunately I hit straight to the fielder. It was a ball that I could have hit for a boundary,” Rahul said.
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Two balls later, Pant tried to take a risky single but was run out by a brilliant pick-up and direct throw from England captain Ben Stokes. Pant looked disappointed while walking back. He was batting well and might have been thinking about getting a century before his innings ended on 74.
“Then he just wanted me to rotate strike and see if he could put me back on strike. But, yeah, it shouldn’t have happened. A run out at that stage really changed the momentum,” he added.
After lunch, things got worse. Rahul, who had already secured a place on the Lord’s honours board once again, edged one off Bashir and was caught behind. It was the off-spinner’s only wicket of the innings. In a short time, India went from being in control to losing two set batters and ending up at 254 for 5.
Rahul later reflected that the run out changed the momentum of the innings. He admitted that his decision to chase a hundred before lunch played a part in how things unfolded. He said Pant just wanted to rotate the strike and maybe get him back on strike, but it all went wrong, and they both were disappointed.
“It was disappointing for both of us. Obviously, nobody wants to throw their wicket like that,” he concluded.
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Speaking on JioHotstar, former India captain Anil Kumble said that it was Pant who called for the run at first. But then he hesitated, thinking there was no run available. Rahul, on the other hand, took off straight away. According to Kumble, Pant’s hesitation delayed his response. Then the southpaw had no choice but to run because Rahul was already halfway down the pitch.
“I think initially Rishabh Pant called and then hesitated, thinking that there was no run. And then KL was off the blocks straight away. So Rishabh Pant’s initial hesitation probably delayed his response. And then he had to take off because KL was just running straight through and on target,” Kumble said.
Kumble also pointed to Joe Root’s example. The English batter waited overnight on 99 and then completed his century the next day. He added that Pant and Rahul had put together a great partnership. The back-to-back wickets gave England a bit of confidence heading into the second session.
“This wasn’t needed. Joe Root had to wait for one night. He was on 99, he had to come back the next day. They had done so well; it was a fantastic partnership. It allowed England some confidence going into the second session,” he added.
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