Anil Kumble says KL Rahul will be key to India’s win on Day 5 at Lord’s if they want to win the third Test. The Indian opener was not out when Day 4 ended and was calm even as others were getting out. India need 135 more runs with 6 wickets left and Rahul’s performance will decide who wins the game.
India seemed to be in control after getting England out for 192 in the second innings. But England took some quick wickets towards the end of the day and now they have a boost going into the final day. The pitch is uneven and there is some swing in the air and chasing the target won’t be easy.
Kumble said on JioHotstar that Rahul has to hold the innings together and stay till the end if India want to lead the series 2-1.
“KL will be the key. To win tomorrow he has to stay till the end, not just get India off to a good start,” Kumble said.
The former Indian captain noticed that Rahul started nervously and was lucky when Chris Woakes dropped a catch early on. But after that Rahul looked much more confident.
“At first he looked like Joe Root, reaching for the ball which created a chance for Chris Woakes. He was lucky to be dropped. After that he started waiting for the ball to come to him and he looked comfortable, just like in the first innings,” Kumble said.
Read Also:- Dinesh Karthik Urges Rishabh Pant to Mentor Dhruv Jurel for India’s Future
Rahul who scored a century in the first innings is India’s best bet to handle the tricky conditions on Day 5. His calmness at the crease will be crucial as the team tries to avoid another batting collapse.
The day ended with Ben Stokes bowling out nightwatchman Akash Deep. With the pressure building India will look to regain control at the start of Day 5 and then carefully chase the target.
