Rishabh Pant’s recent run-out at Lord’s highlights a frustrating pattern for India: losing crucial wickets right before the lunch break consistently throughout their Test series against England.
Lord’s: The Latest Frustration
On Day 3 of the third Test at Lord’s, things were looking great for India. Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul had built a fantastic 141-run partnership, putting India in a strong position against England’s first-innings total.
However, just as lunch approached, a moment of indiscretion changed the momentum. Pant, batting on 74, took off for a risky single after tapping the ball towards cover. England captain Ben Stokes, known for his athleticism, swooped in and delivered a brilliant direct hit, finding Pant short of his ground.
This “needless” run-out brought an end to a crucial stand right on the stroke of lunch, leaving India at 248 for 4. While Rahul went on to score a century immediately after the break, he was dismissed right after reaching the milestone, compounding the missed opportunity from Pant’s dismissal.
Edgbaston: Karun Nair’s Near Miss
The trend of pre-lunch dismissals isn’t new this series. In the second Test at Edgbaston, Karun Nair fell just one over before lunch on Day 1. He edged a rising delivery to the slips, departing for 31.
While India ultimately won that match thanks to Shubman Gill’s massive 269, Nair’s dismissal still marked another instance of a wicket falling just when the team was looking to consolidate before the interval.
Headingley: A Double Blow
The first Test at Headingley set the tone for this unfortunate pattern, with India losing two wickets right before lunch. Asked to bat first, India had started steadily, frustrating the English bowlers.
KL Rahul was the first to go, chasing a wide delivery and edging it to Joe Root at slips, departing for 41. Just moments later, on his Test debut, Sai Sudharsan was dismissed for a duck, edging a delivery down the leg side to the keeper.
These twin dismissals transformed England’s mood, giving them a significant boost heading into the lunch break after what had otherwise been a solid session for India.
The Recurring Challenge
The consistent loss of wickets just before lunch has become a noticeable, and frustrating, theme for the Indian batting lineup in this series. These moments often come when a partnership is building or when a batter is well set, disrupting momentum and providing England with crucial breakthroughs.
Whether it’s a risky single, an unforced error, or a moment of brilliance from the opposition, maintaining focus in these critical pre-break periods seems to be a key challenge for India.
- India has consistently lost wickets just before lunch in this Test series.
- Rishabh Pant’s run-out at Lord’s was the latest instance of this pattern.
- These dismissals often break crucial partnerships or come from avoidable errors.
- Ben Stokes has been directly involved in some of these key breakthroughs for England.
Overcoming this pre-lunch hurdle will be vital for India as they look to assert dominance and prevent England from gaining psychological advantages heading into the dressing room.
