India's batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, has issued a warning to Shubman Gill and the rest of the Indian batting lineup ahead of the third Test against England at Lord's. Kotak anticipates that the Lord's pitch will favor bowlers, presenting a significant challenge for the batsmen.

Kotak emphasized the importance of mindset and adaptability for the Indian batsmen. He advised them to focus on spending time at the crease to adjust to the conditions, as this would be their "best friend" on a potentially difficult wicket. He acknowledged that the Lord's pitch typically sees lower scores in the first and second innings, indicating that bowlers can expect more assistance.

Kotak noted the greener appearance of the Lord's pitch compared to the surfaces in the first two Tests. While the final assessment would depend on the final trimming of the grass, the initial signs suggest a challenging environment for batting. He said, "At Lord's, the scores of the first and second innings are comparatively low, so we can expect that it will be helpful for bowlers".

Kotak also lauded Shubman Gill's recent performance, attributing it to his positive mindset and technical adjustments. Gill led from the front in the previous Test, scoring 269 and 161. Kotak said, "Nothing has changed because of captaincy. Mindset has been good – wants to spend time, he has the skill to put loose balls away. There have been technical changes which he has done". Gill has been in sensational form, being the leading run-scorer among the Indian batters.

Kotak's appointment as the batting coach comes after scrutiny of the team's batting performance in previous series. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to bring in the former Saurashtra stalwart to bolster the team's support staff. Kotak, who has previously coached Saurashtra and served as a batting coach at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), has also worked with the India A team.

With India leading the series 1-0, the team aims to maintain their dominant form at Lord's, despite the expected challenges from both the pitch and the opposition. Kotak's emphasis on mindset and adaptability highlights the team's focus on overcoming these obstacles and securing a positive result. The return of Jofra Archer to the English side could pose an additional challenge to the Indian batting lineup. Kotak acknowledged this, stating that England might want to create more bowling challenges and that facing Archer would be tough.