Introduction
As England and India prepared for the crucial third Test at the famous Lord's Cricket Ground, the battle for the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy felt more intense than ever. With the series poised at one apiece, both nations were vying for a leading position at two to one. England began positively, getting past India in the first Test at Headingley by 5 wickets. India, however, trounced England in the second match at Edgbaston, winning by 336 runs with sheer dominance. Given the stakes and history involved, this match is bound to be decisive.
Known as the "Home of Cricket," Lord's provides the ideal backdrop for what should be an exciting match. On what should be a green, pace-friendly field, both teams have made tactical changes and are getting ready to unleash their strongest lineups.
Match Details:
- Tournament: India Tour of England, 3rd Test
- Date: July 10-14, 2025
- Time: 10:00 AM (UTC)
- Venue: Lord's Cricket Ground, London, United Kingdom
- Series Status: 5-match series tied 1-1
Recent Results and Series Context
1st Test—Headingley, Leeds
Result: England won by 5 wickets.
Key Moment: England’s top order laid a solid platform, while their pace attack exploited Indian weaknesses on a seaming surface.
2nd Test—Edgbaston, Birmingham
Result: India won by 336 runs.
Key Moment: Shubman Gill’s record-breaking double century and Akash Deep’s 10-wicket haul turned the tide in India’s favor.
With the series hanging in the balance, both sides have everything to play for.
Lord’s Test—Venue Analysis
Historical Record at Lord’s:
Total Tests Played: 19
India Wins: 3
England Wins: 12
Draws: 4
Recent Trend:
India has indeed now won two of their last three Tests at Lord's, creating a major change in their competitiveness at this hallowed venue. The memory of the 151-run win is fresh and gives them confidence going into this test, from which something good is expected.
Pitch Report:
A green top surface with ample grass cover.
Early assistance expected for seamers.
May flatten out on Days 3 and 4.
Slower bounce in recent years, challenging for fast bowlers to extract lift.
Average 1st innings score: 310
Teams batting first have won more matches historically.
Weather Forecast:
No rain is forecast across the five days.
Temperatures ranging between 18°C and 30°C.
Mostly sunny with occasional cloud cover.
Team News and Probable XIs
India Playing XI (Predicted):
Yashasvi Jaiswal
KL Rahul
Sai Sudharsan / Karun Nair
Shubman Gill (c)
Rishabh Pant (wk)
Nitish Kumar Reddy
Ravindra Jadeja
Washington Sundar
Akash Deep
Mohammed Siraj
Jasprit Bumrah
England Playing XI (Predicted):
Zak Crawley
Ben Duckett
Ollie Pope
Joe Root
Harry Brook
Ben Stokes (c)
Jamie Smith (wk)
Chris Woakes
Gus Atkinson / Josh Tongue
Jofra Archer
Shoaib Bashir
Key Player Analysis
India
Shubman Gill: Coming off scores of 269 and 161 at Edgbaston, he is in peak form.
KL Rahul: A dependable presence at the top, he brings a sense of stability to the lineup.
Rishabh Pant: He adds a spark and has the ability to turn the game on its head in no time.
Jasprit Bumrah: His comeback injects a fierce edge into the Indian pace attack.
Akash Deep: A master of seam and swing, he’s crucial on a pitch that favors bowlers.
England
Joe Root: Needs to step up after a quiet start to the series.
Harry Brook: One of the bright sparks with the bat in the second Test.
Jamie Smith: Showed resilience under pressure; a talent to watch.
Chris Woakes: Experienced campaigner who performs well at home.
Jofra Archer: Wildcard return; could wreak havoc if fit.
Tactical Outlook
India
Bat First Strategy: India will almost certainly bat if they emerge victorious in the toss. They will try to score above 400 runs while trying to utilize Bumrah, Siraj, and Akash Deep in exploiting the English conditions.
Bowling Depth: India has prospect and permanence with Bumrah, Siraj, Akash Deep, and spin from Jadeja and Sundar.
Middle-Order Steel: With Pant, Reddy, and Jadeja, India bats deep.
England
High-Risk, High-Reward Pitch Request: McCullum wants life in the pitch to favor his pacers.
Batting Fragility: Root and Pope really need to step up their game with some solid innings.
Bowling Adjustments: Having Archer in the lineup is crucial; Atkinson might just surprise us all.
Match Prediction
Toss Prediction: Bat First
Given the history and current conditions, batting first seems to be the best strategy for taking control of the match. Expect both captains to look for scoreboard pressure.
Score Prediction:
1st Innings Target: 330-400
Anything under 250 could be fatal on this wicket.
Best Performers Prediction:
India's Best Batter: KL Rahul or Shubman Gill
England's Best Batter: Joe Root or Jamie Smith
India's Best Bowler: Jasprit Bumrah or Akash Deep
England's Best Bowler: Josh Tongue or Chris Woakes
ENG vs. IND Winning Prediction
India enters the match as favorites.
Their batters are in sublime touch.
The return of Bumrah tilts the balance heavily.
England’s bowling lacks teeth despite being at home.
The form of Indian pacers and the flatness of English bowling are the deciding factors.
Prediction: India to win the 3rd Test at Lord's and take a 2-1 lead in the series.
Current Betting Odds from Stake.com
According to Stake.com, the betting odds for England and India are 1.70 and 2.10, respectively.
Final Predictions of the Match
This third Test at Lord’s is set to be a cracker. India is high on confidence and has found the right balance on their side. England is wounded, unpredictable, and has home advantage. If Archer fires and Root clicks, they have a shot. But momentum, squad depth, and form favor India.
