London, July 9, 2025 — England will step onto the hallowed turf of Lord’s on Thursday facing mounting pressure to arrest a worrying slide in the ongoing five-Test series against a spirited Indian side. With the series locked at 1-1, the hosts know a defeat here could tilt the balance decisively in India’s favour.
The manner of England’s crushing 336-run defeat at Edgbaston has exposed chinks in a team expected to dominate a relatively inexperienced Indian unit. Captain Ben Stokes and his men now face the twin challenges of rediscovering batting form and countering India’s rejuvenated pace attack on a Lord’s surface expected to offer seam movement and the famous slope factor.
Jofra Archer’s return to the England XI for his first Test in four years brings much-needed firepower. But questions remain over the batting, with opener Zak Crawley under intense scrutiny after twin failures in Birmingham and Stokes himself seeking to replicate his bowling impact with the bat.
England’s original strategy of preparing flat pitches to overwhelm the tourists has backfired spectacularly, with India’s youthful batting order led by Shubman Gill adapting impressively. The Indian lineup has not just survived but flourished, forcing England into a rethink.
Meanwhile, India look increasingly confident. The inclusion of Jasprit Bumrah, who replaces Prasidh Krishna, significantly strengthens their pace attack alongside Mohammed Siraj and emerging star Akash Deep, whose 10-wicket debut at Edgbaston has further tilted the psychological advantage toward the visitors.
“The best bowlers in the series have been from India,” acknowledged former England pacer Darren Gough. “Bumrah is by far better than anybody else on show.”
India’s only minor concern lies in Karun Nair’s struggles against bounce, while England will likely target Yashasvi Jaiswal with short-pitched bowling. Yet overall, the visitors appear less burdened by pressure compared to a home side grappling with inconsistency and external criticism.
A packed Lord’s crowd will add to the spectacle as England fight not just for a series lead but to restore faith in their red-ball credentials. For India, the match offers a golden chance to push ahead in a series that many had predicted would be beyond their grasp following retirements of senior stalwarts.
