‘Attitude towards the ball…’: Ajinkya Rahane’s BOLD statement as to why India lost Lord’s Test

Former Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane has suggested a change in the starting lineup for their upcoming fourth Test match against England in Manchester. The visitors lost the Lord’s Test by 22 runs, leading them to trail the hosts 2-1 in the five-match series. Rahane also stated that the team lost a chance to score a lot of runs in the opening innings and take charge of the match.

“We all know that Day 4 and 5 get slightly difficult to bat on. It’s not easy to score runs. Yes, England bowled really well. But I felt India missed an opportunity to get that big score on the board in the first innings. And also, I feel going forward, India should look to add one extra bowler – because you’re going to win a Test match or a Test series by getting 20 wickets,” Rahane said on his YouTube channel.

While praising Ben Stokes, Ajinkya Rahane stated that his game sense following Rishabh Pant’s dismissal right before lunch on Day 3 led the game turn towards England’s favour. “It’s very easy for the fielder to get relaxed. When you see only two or three balls left before lunch, you can easily get relaxed. But his attitude towards the ball, his intensity, and getting that run-out – that’s where I felt England came into the game,” he said.

Rishabh Pant’s dismissal changed the direction of the game as he and KL Rahul had collected over 140 runs, and were a massive threat for England and their chances of winning. Pant returning to the dugout helped England regain the hold of the match.

Even though the Indian team lost the Lord’s Test and are trailing the series 1-2, they still have a chance to win as they aim to win the upcoming two matches- with the next match set to be held at Manchester from July 23rd