India skipper Shubman Gill lost the toss ahead of the third Test against England at Lord’s on Thursday, July 10. This marked the 13th straight toss defeat for India in men’s international matches since January 31, 2025—setting a new all-time record. The previous record of 12 consecutive toss losses was held by the West Indies, set between February 2 and April 21, 1999.
England rank third on the list, having endured 11 successive toss losses between December 17, 2022, and March 12, 2023. On Thursday, Ben Stokes called correctly and chose to bat first under clear, sunny skies in London. Both teams made one change to their line-ups: England brought in Jofra Archer for Josh Tongue, while India welcomed back Jasprit Bumrah in place of Prasidh Krishna.
Gill admitted he was uncertain about the decision at the toss but mentioned that he would have likely chosen to bowl first if he had won it.
“I was confused what to do till this morning. I would have bowled first. There would be something for the bowlers in the first session,” Gill said on Thursday, July 10 (via Cricbuzz).
Reddy’s Double Strike Shifts Momentum As England Falter At Lord’s
England openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley managed to navigate a challenging initial spell and provided their team with a steady start. However, the momentum shifted in the 13th over when Nitish Kumar Reddy struck twice in quick succession to dismiss both batsmen.
Reddy first removed Duckett for 23, getting him caught behind off a leg-side delivery. Just two balls later, he produced a brilliant delivery that nipped away after angling in to dismiss Crawley for 18. At the latest update, England stood at 55 for 2 after 18 overs, with Ollie Pope and Joe Root at the crease.
The 22-year-old almost picked up Ollie Pope’s wicket straight after getting rid of Duckett, but skipper Shubman Gill couldn’t latch onto a sharp one-handed chance in the gully.
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