A mammoth 166-run partnership between openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley helped England to score 225 runs for the loss of two wickets at the end of the play on the second day against India in the ongoing fourth Test of the five-match series at Old Trafford in Manchester on Thursday.
Former England quick Steve Harmison acknowledged the wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav would be an asset for India in the fourth Test in Manchester, but struggled to conjure a way of fitting him in the "balanced" side.
The fourth Test of the series against England will take place at Old Trafford, Manchester on July 23 onwards. Team India is 1-2 down in the series despite a commendable effort by tail-end and Ravindra Jadeja, falling short by 22 runs while chasing 193 runs at Lord's.
Former England quick Steve Harmison believes that if India had its batting maestro Virat Kohli in its final XI against his former side at Lord's, the visitors would have gunned down the target and soared to a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
Former Australia captain Greg Chappell believes that the Indian management should have sent a clear message to Ravindra Jadeja to go for the win during the third Test against England at Lord's.
Right-arm seamer Matt Henry's three-wicket haul and opener Devon Conway's unbeaten fifty helped the New Zealand side to register a comfortable eight-wicket victory over hosts, Zimbabwe, in the third clash of the ongoing T20I tri-series at the Harare Sports Club on Friday.
With the series 2-1 in favour of the England camp despite a commendable fight by Indian lower-order, particularly Jadeja, India will be heading into Manchester all fired up, aiming to make amends after a narrow 22-run loss while chasing 193 runs.
Former cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar dissected India's tactical ploy and underscored the factors conspiring against them, allowing England to lead 2-1 in the five-match series for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
"Incredible fight", it was "absolutely brilliant", was India head coach Gautam Gambhir's message to Ravindra Jadeja after his unflinching efforts went in vain during the third Test against England at Lord's.
An unfortunate dismissal of Mohammed Siraj at the hands of Shoaib Bashir, with the ball rolling back into the stumps after a landing on the pitch, marked the end of India's stubborn resistance at Lord's, with Ravindra Jadeja left stranded following a heartbreaking 22-run loss. India lost
The third Test at Lord's was a fiercely contested battle between England and India, with little separating the two sides for most of the match. But in the end, it was the hosts that edged ahead to seal a hard-fought victory.
Ravindra Jadeja put up a strong fight, the tailenders Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj punched way above their weight and batting averages, but yet Team India fell short by 22 runs in a run chase of just 193 at the 'Home of Cricket', the Lord's and are trailing in the series 1-2