Following India's narrow defeat to England in the 3rd Test at Lord's in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series, former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin has weighed in on the performance of the team, particularly focusing on the batting lineup. India fell short by 22 runs while chasing a target of 193, after both teams scored 387 in their first innings, resulting in England taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

Azharuddin, known for his elegant wristy strokeplay and leadership qualities, expressed his views on the contributions of young players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, as well as Karun Nair. Gill is currently captaining the side. He also touched upon the performances of other batsmen, including Rishabh Pant.

While details of Azharuddin's specific comments on each player weren't available, his general sentiment revolved around the need for these players to step up and take responsibility, particularly after India's batting collapse in the final innings. He emphasized that while it's easy to analyze the game in hindsight, the players in the middle need to apply themselves better and avoid repeating mistakes.

India's batting woes were evident as they resumed Day 5 at 58/4, requiring another 135 runs for victory. However, England's pace attack, led by Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, quickly dismantled the Indian batting order, reducing them to 112/8 by lunch. Ravindra Jadeja showed resilience with an unbeaten 61, but lacked support from the other end as wickets kept falling.

Azharuddin, who played 99 Test matches for India and scored 6,215 runs with an average of 45.03, understands the pressures of Test cricket. He made his Test debut with a century against England in 1984 and also scored a century in his final Test match, against South Africa in 2000. He captained India in 47 Test matches, winning 14 of them.

The former captain's remarks serve as a reminder to the current players about the importance of seizing opportunities and performing under pressure. He likely stressed the need for partnerships and individual brilliance to secure victories in crucial situations, something that was missing in India's chase at Lord's.

Despite the loss, Azharuddin is likely to have acknowledged the fight shown by the Indian team, especially Jadeja's efforts, and will be hoping for a stronger performance in the remaining matches of the series. He has previously lauded India's bowling attack, especially with the inclusion of Jasprit Bumrah. The series is poised intriguingly, and India will need to regroup quickly to overcome England's lead.