"One moment like that can change a game": Former England captain's big remark about Rishabh Pant's run out on Day 3 of ENG vs IND 2025 Lord's Test

Former England captain Michael Atherton recently shared his thoughts on Rishabh Pant's run out on Day 3 of the Lord's Test. He said that it was an indication of how players needed to stay alert right through the day's play. He added that giving attention to detail is vital because it requires just one moment, like that run out, to turn things around for a side.

Atherton also pointed to how dismissing Karun Nair and Shubman Gill in India's second innings late on Day 4 had given the hosts a lift. The former England opener said on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast:

"There are two sides to it, isn't there? There's the getting close to a milestone, and then how that suddenly, then plays with your head. When you say I don't like milestones, I love milestones in the context of the play of the game, if you like."

"It totally changed the way India were thinking about that final over and then the awareness of Stokes to run out Pant is a great lesson in that a Test match day which is 90 overs, 540 balls, you have got to give your attention to every ball because one moment like that can change a game. You don't know it at the time, but looking back that was such a fundamental moment."

Another former England captain, Nasser Hussain, who was also on the podcast, felt that Mohammed Siraj should not have been fined 15 percent of his match fee. The pacer was penalised for his heated altercation with opener Ben Duckett after dismissing him during the first session of play on Day 4. Hussain said:

"They (Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett) were very street-smart in the way they slowly walked down the stairs and pretended to get lost in the long room and got out to the middle. They were smart and India rightly went at them and that obviously fired everyone up and then Siraj was fired up. I think he's a better cricketer when he's fired up. You'd love to have Siraj in your side."

"I didn't think he should have been fined. He went close to the line. He was right in Duckett's face. He didn't barge Duckett. If anything, Duckett went in that direction to get off the pitch. If there was a shoulder barge, as there has been with Kohli you mentioned, but it wasn't. I think it is a game of emotion. You don't need 22 robots. I love that tension," Hussain added.

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Michael Atherton calls for Kuldeep Yadav's selection for Old Trafford Test between India and England

Michael Atherton, who played all of his first-class cricket at Lancashire, also called for the inclusion of left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav for the fourth Test at Old Trafford. The former England captain feels that wrist spin is a viable option at the venue and added that India could contemplate playing three spinners there. He said:

"I kind of have been calling for Kuldeep (Yadav) a little bit all series. I think if he's going to play, Old Trafford is the place. I was chatting briefly to Jimmy last night, saying how the pitches have been this year. He said they have been very flat. Wrist spin goes well at Old Trafford in those circumstances."

"I was wondering if they could go like (Jasprit) Bumrah and (Mohammed) Siraj and play their three spinners- Washington Sundar, Jadeja and Kuldeep but just don't know about the forecast in Manchester. That's the other thing, if it is going to be cooler and more showery and whether the fast bowlers then come into it. I think that's a definite option India should think about".

India's management faced heavy criticism when Kuldeep was not picked for the second Test match against England at Edgbaston. However, the inclusion of Washington Sundar as the second spin bowling option has paid off briefly for the visitors.

Sundar's off-spin accounted for Ben Stokes in the second innings at Edgbaston, helping the visitors take the win. He also claimed four wickets in the second innings of the Lord's Test, which included the scalp of Joe Root, but England won the Test.