India’s hopes of taking the lead in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy were dashed at Lord’s as they fell 22 runs short in a tense final-day chase of 193. The third Test saw India bowled out for 170, with more than half the runs coming from just two batters – Ravindra Jadeja (61* off 181) and KL Rahul (39). The rest of the batting lineup crumbled under pressure, with captain Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Washington Sundar all falling for single-digit scores – the latter two departing without troubling the scorers.

On a surface that offered considerable assistance to seamers, it was England skipper Ben Stokes and comeback man Jofra Archer who ignited the collapse, reducing India to 82/7. While Jadeja staged a stoic resistance, stitching small stands with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, the task proved just beyond reach as England reclaimed a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly didn’t mince words in expressing his disappointment. Speaking at an event in Mumbai, Ganguly lamented the lack of application shown by India’s top order, contrasting it with the resilience of Jadeja.

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“I’m a little disappointed with the way India batted,” Sourav Ganguly said. “They should’ve chased 190. When you see someone like Jadeja fight and score on that pitch, it shows that runs were there for the taking. The others in the dressing room are far more capable, and they’ll know this was a golden opportunity to go 2-1 up in the series.”

Ganguly pointed specifically to the top order’s failure to absorb pressure. “If there was even a little more resistance from the top, this could’ve been India’s game. The quality is there – they just didn’t show enough fight,” he added.

With over a week before the fourth Test at Old Trafford begins on July 23, India has time to reassess and recalibrate their strategy. Ganguly, however, was full of praise for Jadeja, whose unbeaten knock kept India in the contest against all odds.

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“Jadeja’s been exceptional. He’s played 80 Tests, over 200 ODIs, and he keeps getting better. His batting has really matured. He contributes with the ball, the bat, and in the field. He’s a special player – a vital cog in India’s Test side,” Sourav Ganguly concluded.

This was Jadeja’s fourth consecutive Test fifty – a feat made even more remarkable given the match situation and quality of the opposition attack.