India had their backs against the wall when they lost the wicket of Virat Kohli in the second innings and were tottering at 55-3 in the Lord’s Test against England.
The lead was only a mere 28 runs at that stage and Rahane and Pujara, both out of form players, were at the crease.
There was a lot of pressure on both of these experienced batsmen as they were horribly out of form but they showed their class once again and bailed India out of jail. The pair added 49 runs in 28 overs without losing any wickets in the second session of the penultimate day and showed all the resistance against the England bowlers.
Rahane and Pujara batted at the top of their game and kept the opposition at bay. The duo added 100 runs for the fourth wicket alliance and kept India in the contest. It was a defining moment of the game as England could have run away with it.
Rahane went on to score 61 runs whereas Pujara scored 45 crucial runs to get back in form and both of these veteran batsmen played crucial knocks, not only for themselves but also for the team.
Former India wicket-keeper batsman Saba Karim feels Pujara and Rahane partnership was the biggest turning point of the match.
Saba Karim said while talking to India News, “I feel there were two or three turning points in this match. The biggest turning point was Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane’s partnership. After that yesterday, it was a very important time when India had lost eight wickets. There Bumrah and Shami stitched together a valuable partnership for their team.”
Furthermore, the former gloveman, who had suffered a career-defining eye injury, reckons that Jonny Bairstow’s wicket just at the stroke of tea on the final day was also one of the biggest turning points of the game. The right-hander was plumbed in front of the wicket by Ishant Sharma and Virat Kohli had sent it upstairs after the on-field umpire gave the decision in favour of the hosts.
“Along with that, Jonny Bairstow’s wicket just before tea and after that in the first over itself, Bumrah took the wicket of Joe Root. I feel because of these turning moments only India won the match brilliantly and defeated England.”
India went on to win the historic Test match by 151 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
