Test Thriller at Lord’s: Rahul’s Century and Jadeja’s Grit Leave India and England Neck-and-Neck After Day 3

London, July 12, 2025 — A gripping third day at Lord’s has left the third Test between India and England balanced on a knife’s edge, as both teams astonishingly ended their first innings with identical totals of 387 a first in the storied history of Test cricket at this iconic ground.

Resuming on 225/5, India looked under pressure, still trailing England by 162. But KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant produced a gutsy partnership that shifted the momentum. Rahul, composed and measured, completed his second Test century at Lord’s off 196 balls, anchoring India’s innings while Pant counterattacked with typical flair despite nursing a finger injury picked up while keeping on Day 2.

Pant’s audacious 74 off 92 deliveries, peppered with crisp boundaries, kept England’s seamers at bay until disaster struck moments before lunch. Attempting a risky single, Pant fell to a brilliant direct hit from Ben Stokes, departing with India still 21 runs adrift at 366/6 a moment that threatened to swing the contest back England’s way.

After the break, Shoaib Bashir claimed the vital wicket of Rahul for an even 100, drawing generous applause from the Lord’s crowd for the Indian opener’s stoic effort. Bashir, however, suffered a setback of his own, injuring his left hand while fielding and briefly leaving the pitch with a bandage on his return.

India’s lower order, though, refused to fold. Ravindra Jadeja, in a masterclass of batting with the tail, compiled an unbeaten 72 off 119 balls. He marshalled partnerships brilliantly, including a valuable contribution from Andhra all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who chipped in with 28 before falling to Mark Wood’s raw pace.

Eventually, India matched England’s 387, setting up an unprecedented scenario: the first time at Lord’s both teams have ended their first innings on exactly the same score.

England faced a brief, tense spell before stumps. Openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett survived three probing overs from Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, reaching 2/0 and holding a slender overall lead of two runs. Duckett had a nervous moment when an edge off Siraj fell just short of Shubman Gill at slip, leaving Indian fielders visibly frustrated.

Key Highlights from Day 3:

KL Rahul (100 off 196 balls): Classy century, his second at Lord’s, steered India from trouble.

Rishabh Pant (74 off 92 balls): Counterattacking innings despite injury, run-out just before lunch proved a turning point.

Ravindra Jadeja (72 off 119 balls):* Held India together with the lower order, ensuring parity.

Shoaib Bashir (3 wickets): Key breakthroughs but hobbled by injury.

Jasprit Bumrah: Added his name to the Lord’s Honours Board for his first-innings five-wicket haul.


Looking ahead to Day 4, the match hangs delicately in the balance. The Lord’s surface is beginning to show signs of variable bounce and turn, suggesting bowlers like Bumrah and Jadeja could play decisive roles.

With England holding all ten wickets and a wafer-thin lead, it’s shaping into a one-innings shootout. Both sides remain firmly in the hunt in what has become a thrilling spectacle of Test cricket.