With the five-match Test series level at 1-1, the stage was set for a high-stakes encounter as England won the toss and chose to bat first in the third Test at Lord’s, London, on Thursday. India made a crucial change to their playing XI, bringing back premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah in place of Prasidh Krishna, strengthening an already formidable pace attack for the conditions on offer.
The English openers, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, got off to a cautious start on a pitch that offered inconsistent bounce and unpredictable carry. Some deliveries barely reached wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, while others leapt off the surface with venom. Despite the testing conditions, the duo managed to survive the early spells from the Indian pace trio of Bumrah, Akash Deep, and Mohammed Siraj, reaching 39 without loss after 13 overs.
Sensing the need to break the rhythm, Indian skipper Shubman Gill made a bold move by bringing on medium pacer Nitish Kumar Reddy in place of Bumrah. Though he was hit for a boundary off just his second delivery, Reddy bounced back brilliantly. He got Ben Duckett to glance at a delivery down the leg side, and Pant took a fine catch to give India their first breakthrough.
Reddy wasn’t finished yet. On the final ball of that same over, he produced an absolute peach to remove Zak Crawley. The delivery pitched around off, angled in, and then straightened with subtle swing to beat Crawley’s bat completely. It was a textbook setup and execution that left the batter stunned, reducing England to 44/2 and swinging momentum firmly in India’s favour.
— BavumaTheKing Temba (@bavumathek83578) July 10, 2025
Nitish Kumar Reddy’s impact was immediate and game-changing. Taking two wickets in his very first over at the historic Lord’s ground was a dream debut moment, and fans on Twitter erupted in praise for the young all-rounder. With his sensational performance, Reddy not only justified the faith shown in him by skipper Gill but also made an early mark on the big stage, energizing the Indian camp with his breakthrough spell.