Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has joined the chorus of those expressing disappointment over India's failure to chase down a target of 193 against England in the third Test at Lord's. The narrow 22-run loss handed England a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
Ganguly, speaking at the Indian Racing League & F4 India Championship event on Tuesday, stated he was "a little bit disappointed with the way India batted in this series, they should have got this 190". He emphasized the quality of the Indian batting lineup and suggested the team itself would be more disappointed than he was, considering the opportunity to gain a 2-1 lead in the series.
India's batting woes in the fourth innings saw them bowled out for 170 in 74.5 overs. Only Ravindra Jadeja, who remained unbeaten on 61, and KL Rahul, with 39, offered substantial resistance. The rest of the batting order failed to cross the 20-run mark, leading to the collapse.
Ganguly highlighted that if the top-order batsmen had shown a bit more fight, the match could have gone India's way. He also lauded Ravindra Jadeja's exceptional performance, noting his valuable contributions with the bat in both innings. Jadeja scored 72 runs in the first innings and followed it up with a gritty 61-run knock in the second innings. Ganguly believes Jadeja is a special player whose batting has improved significantly over the years, making him a vital part of the Indian team.
The match was filled with twists and turns, ultimately decided in the final session. India resumed the final day needing 135 runs with six wickets in hand but lost four wickets before lunch, significantly denting their chances. Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes were instrumental in England's victory, taking three wickets each. Shoaib Bashir, who had been off the field due to a finger injury, returned to dismiss Mohammed Siraj and seal the win for England.
The defeat at Lord's was a bitter pill to swallow for India, especially considering their strong performances earlier in the series. The loss highlighted the fragility of the Indian batting lineup and their dependence on a few key players. As the series progresses, India will need to address their batting concerns and find greater consistency if they hope to regain the upper hand against England.
