'Rishabh Pant's run-out, the biggest turning point of match': Sunil Gavaskar reflects on India's loss at Lord's

Team India suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the Lord’s Test match on Monday (July 14) after the visitors were bowled out for 170 runs in the second innings. Losing by a narrow 22-run margin, former India cricketer and World Cup winner Sunil Gavaskar highlighted the key reason for the visitor’s defeat. According to Gavaskar, Rishabh Pant’s run-out in the first innings was the biggest turning point of the match.

Rishabh Pant's run-out, the biggest turning point of match

"That was the biggest turning point of the match. Both batters were going so well—splendid batting from them. It was like a fire-and-ice combination. Rahul was all calm precision, playing calculated strokes, while Rishabh Pant brought power and punch, really putting pressure on the England bowling attack," Gavaskar said while speaking to India Today.

On Day 2 of the Lord’s Test, batting on 74 and having stitched a stand of 141 runs with KL Rahul for the fourth wicket, Pant was dismissed run-out with an acute throw from Ben Stokes. While the effects of the wicket were not felt at that time, the Indian team paid for its consequences as they failed to get any lead in the first innings. In a rare occasion, both teams ended with the same score in the first innings, having been bowled out for 387.

ALSO READ | In series dominated by batters, Indian bowlers achieve RARE Test record first time since 1955

India pay price for Pant wicket

With no lead in hand for the second innings, this ultimately came back to haunt Team India. Having closed Day 4 at 58/4, India needed 135 more runs to win on the final day of the Lord’s Test. However, the visitors were left to rue missed chances and lost the Test match in the final session of Day 5 after being bowled out for 170.

The defeat also sees India trail the five-match series 1-2 with matches at Old Trafford and the Oval still to be played.