Watch- Akash Deep charges at Jofra Archer, leaves England pacer shell shocked
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India might not have taken a lead in their first innings at Lord's, as they were also bowled out for 387 against England's 387 in the first innings, but the batters relished batting here at this iconic venue.
When it comes to the Indian batting innings, the Indian cricket fans would look to recall KL Rahul's stunning hundred, Rishabh Pant's eventful 74, or Ravindra Jadeja's crucial 72 at the back end.
But amid these big scores, what seems evident is that many vital contributors are usually neglected. Karun Nair might not have made the impact he would have wanted to on his test comeback, but his 40 runs and the 50+ partnership with KL Rahul helped India survive a scary collapse early on Day 2.
Also, Nitish Kumar Reddy has been a contributor to this test. Unlike the Edgbaston test, he picked 2 wickets and, more importantly, bowled 17 overs as the fourth Indian seamer, giving away runs at a rate of just 3.64. His 30 with the bat was also crucial for India's strong stand until tea was called.
Chris Woakes does the job for England; Jadeja dismissed, leaving India in trouble
India might have batted very well until tea, as Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy pulled off a vital partnership and contributed significant runs to the Indian innings. However, Nitish Kumar Reddy's wicket was not that big a jolt to the Indian innings since they still had Washington Sundar at the back.
But what seemed good to the Indian side was the presence of a reliable all-rounder in Ravindra Jadeja, who looked set on the crease. Jadeja scored his third consecutive fifty in the last 3 innings he played in England.
However, Chris Woakes dismissed Jadeja in the last hour of Day 3's play, and this was the turning point of the Indian innings. It exposed the Indian tail to the brute English pacers.
Akash Deep loves to bat; Takes down Archer with a humongous six
India's new no. 9 Akash Deep has made a statement with the bat as he came in to bat after Ravindra Jadeja was dismissed. He joined Washington Sundar on the crease when India was still trailing in the first innings.
Though challenged initially, he managed to survive despite some balls hitting his pads, and loud claims of LBW were made; the umpire didn't rule him out. He might have gained some confidence, as he launched Jofra Archer for a huge six down the leg side.
We see your game, #AkashDeep! 😁
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 12, 2025
Evades a couple of LBW scares, then sends one straight out of the park! 😤#ENGvIND 👉 3rd TEST, DAY 3 | LIVE NOW on JioHotstar 👉 https://t.co/YhqadvEBqM pic.twitter.com/zCJ0YnUIip
Akash Deep turned like Australian legend Steve Smith as he played a flick typical of the Aussie batter when he lofted off Archer with the ball sailing over the square-leg fence. This magnificent shot brought a smile even to Archer's face, who seemed to be delighted by the shot.
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Akash Deep smashed Pat Cummins before in Test cricket
The Indian pacer did not have a very long career in the longest format of the game, but he has made some impactful performances already. Picked for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2024/25, Akash Deep did a wonder with the bat.
It was late on Day 4 of the Gabba test that Akash Deep smashed Australian skipper Pat Cummins for a huge six over the mid-wicket boundary. He put on a 33-run stand alongside Jasprit Bumrah for the last wicket to help India avoid the follow-on.
With Akash Deep unbeaten on 27*, India ended that day at 252/9, surpassing the follow-on score of 246.
Tagged:
India National Cricket Team England National Cricket Team India vs England Jofra Archer Akash Deep England vs India ICC World Test Championship
