London [UK], July 14: India ended Day 4 of the third Test at Lord’s in a challenging position, reaching 58/4 in pursuit of a 193-run target set by England. The high-stakes match, part of the ongoing five-Test series, will resume on Day 5 with India needing 135 more runs to win.
Historically, India has chased targets of 200 or less on 58 occasions, securing 46 victories, drawing eight times, and losing only four matches. Their defeats came in Bridgetown (1997), Galle (2015), Birmingham (2018), and most recently, Mumbai (2024).
Against England specifically, India has chased sub-200 targets nine times successfully, with only one loss and one draw. The last defeat to England while chasing under 200 was in the 2018 Birmingham Test, where India fell short by 31 runs despite a remarkable century from Virat Kohli. Sam Curran’s all-round heroics had earned him the Player of the Match award.
At stumps on Day 4, opener KL Rahul remained unbeaten at 33*, anchoring India’s hopes. However, early blows in the form of Shubman Gill (6), Karun Nair (14), Rohit Sharma (4), and Yashasvi Jaiswal (0) have placed the visitors under pressure. England pacer Brydon Carse turned the tide with two crucial wickets in the final session.
Despite the early setbacks, India’s batting depth gives them a slight edge. Rishabh Pant, who scored an impressive 74 in the first innings, remains a key figure. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who contributed 72 runs earlier in the match, is also yet to bat alongside lower-order talents like Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar, who are known for their resilience.
The result at Lord’s will be pivotal, as the winning team will take a crucial 2-1 lead in the series. The final two Tests are scheduled to be played at Old Trafford, Manchester, and The Oval, London.