"That wouldn't be in my top five" - Shubman Gill's huge statement on Rishabh Pant run-out in ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test

Team India skipper Shubman Gill dismissed the notion that his going at England opener Zak Crawley at the end of Day 3 turned the third Test at Lord's on its head. The visitors suffered a heartbreaking 22-run defeat despite being ahead after three innings of the contest.

For the uninitiated, the two teams finished with identical scores of 387 after their respective first innings. England came out to bat on the third evening, and Crawley utilized several tactics to delay proceedings and keep their batting to only one over. However, Gill was visibly angered by it and went after Crawley multiple times.

England returned the favor when the Indian skipper came out to bat in the run chase. Gill blinked first and was dismissed for only six at a crucial moment on Day 4.

Yet, the skipper believes his exchanges with Crawley were not the turning point in the Lord's Test. He instead pointed to Rishabh Pant's run-out in the first innings as the momentum shifter.

Reflecting on the same in the post-match press conference, Gill said (via India Today):

"No, five minutes can't define five days of hard work. If you ask me about key moments, that wouldn't even be in my top five. For us, Rishabh's run-out was more crucial. At one point, we felt we could get a 50–100 run lead, which would’ve been massive on Day 5 when batting gets tough."

He added:

"That was a big turning point. Had we secured that lead, we could've put England on the back foot. By the end of Day 3, the match was level. From there, the team that batted better was going to win."

After England scored 387 in their first innings, India were coasting at 248/3 with Pant on 74 and KL Rahul on 98. However, in an attempt to get Rahul back on strike for his century before lunch, the Indian wicketkeeper took a risky single and paid the ultimate price.

"The next time we face them, there’s mutual admiration" - Shubman Gill on the heated exchanges in Lord's Test

Shubman Gill was highly animated on the field in the Lord's Test [Credit: Getty]

Shubman Gill dismissed any bad blood between India and England despite the multiple heated exchanges in the Lord's Test. With the five-match series tied at 1-1, tempers boiled over from the players from both sides at various stages of the five days at the home of cricket. Yet, the two teams displayed incredible spirit after the thrilling contest ended with a close finish on Day 5.

"Obviously, there was a lot of tension and emotion. You're giving everything—mentally, physically. So sometimes, things can get heated on both sides. But that’s what makes it exciting and challenging. The next time we face them, there’s mutual admiration. Both teams gave their best to win. When you're in the heat of the moment, you're doing everything you can for your team. That emotion is part of what makes Test cricket so special," said Gill (via the aforementioned source).

The 22-run loss has India trailing 1-2 with the fourth Test set to be played at Manchester, starting July 23.