The Lord’s Test is on a knife’s edge coming heading into the final day on Monday with India’s scoreboard reading 58/4 in the final innings with 135 runs needed for the visitors to claim a 2-1 lead. India have lost three set batters in the form of Yashasvi Jaiswal, captain Shubman Gill and Karun Nair in their chase of 193 runs on a tricky pitch.
Former India coach and cricketer Anil Kumble has handpicked KL Rahul as the man who needs to guide India home.
“KL Rahul is going to be the main man (for India). If India are to go past this total tomorrow, he needs to be there till the end — not just give India a good start,” Kumble said in his analysis on JioHotstar. “This is going to be a very important knock. If India have to cross the line, KL Rahul will have to play a major role.”
Kumble also pointed out how Rahul had salvaged his innings by making a batting tweak after almost being caught in the second innings. Rahul is currently in the middle with 33 runs off 47 balls after a century in the first innings.
“Early on, I thought he looked a bit like Joe Root, reaching out to the ball, and that’s when there was a chance offered to Chris Woakes. He was lucky to be dropped. But from that moment on, he started waiting for the ball to come onto him, and once he did that, he looked the part — just like he did in the first innings,” said Kumble.
