After three days of closely contested cricket, nothing separates England and India in the third Test at Lord’s, with both teams posting identical first-innings totals of 387 — a rare occurrence in Test history.

This marks just the ninth instance in nearly 150 years of Test cricket where both sides ended the first innings on the same score. England ended Day 3 on 2 without loss in their second innings after just one over, setting the stage for a one-innings decider with the five-match series locked at 1-1.

India’s bowlers were visibly frustrated as England openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley employed deliberate time-wasting tactics in fading light, limiting play to just one over. The tension boiled over when Crawley clashed with India captain Shubman Gill, leading to heated exchanges and finger-pointing as players walked off. England’s players were seen laughing from the balcony during the altercation.

Rishabh Pant not playing on Day 2 of England-India test because of injured finger

India's innings featured a composed 100 from Lokesh Rahul, though he was dismissed immediately after reaching his century. Ravindra Jadeja contributed 72, while Rishabh Pant scored a lively 76 before being run out by Ben Stokes just before lunch. Nitish Kumar Reddy (30) and Washington Sundar (23) added useful runs down the order.

England spinner Shoaib Bashir, who claimed Rahul’s wicket, left the field after injuring his left-hand little finger while stopping a shot from Jadeja. His condition will be assessed further.

With two days remaining, a fiery finish to an already dramatic Test match is on the cards.

Source: Agency