KL Rahul admitted that Rishabh Pant’s run-out just before lunch on Day 3 of the Lord’s Test against England was a turning point in the match — and not in India’s favour.
The duo had stitched together a crucial 141-run partnership, steadily narrowing the 242-run first-innings deficit. But in a twist of fate, Pant was run out for 74 while attempting to rotate strike in the final over before lunch — a miscalculated move that left Rahul just shy of his hundred and India in a tricky position.
“There was a conversation a couple of overs before that,” Rahul revealed. “I told him I’d try to get my hundred before lunch. Bashir was bowling the last over, and I thought I had a chance — but I hit it straight to the fielder. Then Pant just tried to put me back on strike. But it really shouldn’t have happened. A run-out at that stage shifted the momentum completely.”
Rahul eventually brought up his 10th Test century after lunch but fell soon after, as India slid to 254 for 5, undoing much of the good work done in the morning.
“There’s definitely disappointment,” Rahul said. “We were in a really good position, and then both of us got out — Pant before lunch, me after. When set batters in the top five don’t convert starts into big scores, it becomes hard to dominate a Test match.”
Despite the setback, Rahul’s form has been a bright spot. After a century in Leeds and a fifty in Birmingham, he continued his good run with another hundred at Lord’s. Rahul attributed his recent consistency to mental drills focused on reaction time, inspired by elite Formula 1 athletes.
“In the past year, I’ve worked with a specialist to improve my reaction time — the kind of training F1 drivers use,” he explained. “Through my association with Red Bull, I spent time in Salzburg with coaches who train top F1 and adventure sport athletes. It’s helped me stay mentally sharp.”
“I’ve always enjoyed batting for long hours. These exercises just added an extra edge to that focus.”
