Former left-arm spinner Murali Kartik made a significant statement following India’s defeat to England in the third Test at Lord’s. He pointed out that it was the second time under coach Gautam Gambhir that the team had failed to chase down a small target.

England managed to hold off India’s chase of 193 runs in their final innings, securing a hard-fought 22-run victory to take a 2-1 lead in the series. Kartik acknowledged that while chasing small targets in Tests can be tricky, experience plays a crucial role in such situations.

“Small chases like these are always tricky. You never quite know when to speed up or slow down. Experience is key in these situations. This is the second time in Gautam Gambhir’s tenure that a seemingly easy chase has been missed. He’ll definitely be frustrated with himself and the team,” he said on Cricbuzz.

Notably, in their first Test series under Gambhir, India had also failed to chase down a target of 147 against New Zealand in Mumbai in 2024, losing by 25 runs. Kartik described Rishabh Pant’s dismissal as a pivotal moment in the tense run-chase. The visitors began Day 5 at 58/4, needing 135 more runs to win. Pant, who was in good form but carrying a finger injury, was bowled out by Jofra Archer for just nine runs.

“Rishabh Pant is highly instinctive. I don’t believe he thinks things through before acting. The way he played that one-handed shot, considering his injury, made it hard for him to defend. Jofra Archer had the final say there. That was a crucial moment. Starting the day at 58/4 and aiming for a win, Pant’s wicket turned out to be pivotal,” he added.